Burns named to NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year watch list
DALLAS, Texas – Hilltopper closer Mason Burns was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List, the association announced Wednesday. An award given annually to the top relief pitcher in Division I Baseball.
Burns was previously selected to the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List consisting of 73 pitchers before being recognized on the midseason list with a total of 59 players.
Burns is in the midst of a historic campaign in 2024 as the go-to guy out of the Hilltopper bullpen following an outstanding junior season in 2023. The senior leads the country in saves with 12 in 21 appearances on the mound for WKU, which ranks the second-most in program history in a single-season, only trailing Ian Tompkins for the record with 14. For his career, Burns’ 16 total saves is tied for the third-most in program history, just two behind Tompkins with 18 and seven behind the record-holder, Matt Wilhite with 23. Overall, the Bloomington, Ill. native holds a 2-2 record with 40 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched and a 3.37 ERA.
Prior to the start of the 2024 season, Burns was known as one of the top relief pitchers in the country as he was recognized by multiple media outlets including being named to Perfect Game USA’s “Top 75 College Seniors”, coming in at #48 on the list, as well as being selected to the Conference USA Preseason All-Conference Team as a relief pitcher.
Along with the 2024 Stopper of the Year, the NCBWA presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation’s top player and the Mike Martin National Coach of the Year to the nation’s top coach. It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I, II and III Players of the Week and Division I, II and III Players of the Year.
Burns and the Hilltoppers continue Conference USA play this weekend as they travel to Middle Tennessee for a three-game series beginning on Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m. CT.
