NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List

DALLAS – Tennessee veteran reliever Redmond Walsh was one of 10 finalists named for the Stopper of the Year Award by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on Wednesday afternoon.

The graduate student has been included on the award’s preseason watch list in each of the past three seasons, but this marks his first time as a finalist for the prestigious honor that is presented annually to the nation’s top relief pitcher.

The Stopper of the Year recipient will be announced via a news conference on Friday, June 17, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.

Walsh has had yet another standout season on the mound for the Vols, leading the team with seven saves, bringing his career total to 23, which is tied with UT legend Todd Helton for the most in program history.

The Louisville, Tennessee, native has a career ERA of 1.95, which ranks second best among active Division I players. This season, Walsh has posted a 4-1 record and 2.58 ERA in 26 appearances, all in relief, and has totaled 39 strikeouts while issuing just 10 walks in 38.1 innings of work.

To learn more about the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award and all 10 of this year’s finalists, click HERE.

Walsh and the Vols host Notre Dame for the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional this weekend at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch for game one is slated for 6 p.m. on Friday. Winner of the series will advance to Omaha to take part in the 2022 College World Series.

-UT Athletics

TUCSON, Ariz. – Tennessee was well represented on Collegiate Baseball’s 2022 Freshman All-America Team with three players garnering recognition in pitchers Chase Burns and Drew Beam, as well as first baseman/designated hitter Blake Burke.

The three players earning Freshman All-America honors ties the single-season program record set back in 2005. UT has now had 23 players earn Freshman All-America honors in program history, including five under head coach Tony Vitello.

Burns was also named Collegiate Baseball’s Co-Freshman National Player of the Year, sharing the honor with NC State’s Tommy White, the outlet announced on Wednesday.

The Gallatin, Tennessee, native was UT’s Friday night starter for the majority of the year and has collected plenty of awards and honors throughout an impressive debut season on Rocky Top.

Burns is a semifinalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy and was named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball just last week, becoming the first UT freshman pitcher to earn All-America honors since R.A. Dickey in 1994. He was also a second-team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team selection.

Burns enters this weekend’s NCAA Super Regional with an 8-1 record and 2.69 ERA over 16 appearances (13 starts). He has also racked up 98 strikeouts in 73.2 innings of work while allowing just 24 walks and holding opposing hitters to a .216 batting average. His 98 punchouts already rank third most by a freshman in program history and are just six shy of second place.

Beam was another standout freshman pitcher in UT’s weekend rotation this season, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors after posting an 8-1 record to go along with a 2.72 ERA in a team-high 15 starts. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, native is holding opposing hitters to a .186 batting average and has a 0.93 WHIP entering this weekend’s NCAA Super Regional.

Beam’s long list of accolades this season include All-SEC second team and SEC All-Freshman team honors. He is also a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and was named to D1Baseball.com’s Midseason All-America team.

Burke had an impressive finish to the regular season and has carried that play into the postseason, where he has proven to be one of the Vols’ most dangerous hitters. The California native ranks fifth on the team with 14 home runs despite recording just 91 official at-bats to this point in the season, averaging one homer every 6.5 at-bats. His 14 bombs are tied for the most by a freshman in program history with J.P. Arencibia (2005) and Alan Cockrell (1983). Burke also leads the team with a 1.340 OPS and an .857 slugging percentage.

Burns, Beam and Burke will look to help lead the Big Orange to their second straight College World Series appearance this weekend when the Vols host Notre Dame in the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional, which begins on Friday at 6 p.m.

-UT Athletics