NCBWA Stopper of the Year News

A total of 105 players has been named to the initial 2026 Watch List for the 21st Annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball, the association announced Tuesday. The institution or conference sports information directors submitted nominees.

Arizona relief pitcher Tony Pluta has been named the 2025 Stopper of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), the organization announced Friday. Pluta becomes the fifth player from the Big 12 Conference to earn this accolade, joining Kansas’ Don Czyz (2006) and Texas’ J. Brent Cox (2005), Chance Ruffin (2010) and Corey Knebel (2011).

Thirteen finalists have been announced for the 20th NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award, given to the nation’s top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball. 

With the second half of the 2025 collegiate regular season now underway, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) announced Wednesday that 56 of the nation's top relief pitchers have been named to the Midseason Watch List for the 20th annual Stopper of the Year award. Relief pitchers not included on the midseason list remain eligible to be considered as finalists for the award.