RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Manhattan College relief pitcher John Soldinger was named to the midseason watch list for the sixth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award as announced Thursday. The prestigious accolade will be given to the top reliever in NCAA Division I baseball for 2010. Soldinger is one of five freshmen on the 45-player watch list, and he is the only pitcher from a MAAC institution.
Soldinger leads the MAAC with six saves, has one win and harbors a team-best 2.42 ERA in 13 appearances. He is second on Manhattan with 23 strikeouts and has only allowed six earned runs in 22 1/3 innings of action. Soldinger was selected MAAC Pitcher of the Week on March 2 after earning a four inning save in his collegiate debut to secure a 12-7 victory over #10 Miami. He was named MAAC Rookie of the Week on March 22 after picking up saves in wins over BIG EAST member Seton Hall and Liberty.
At the conclusion of the regular-season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, June 2, prior to the start of NCAA regional tournament competition. The NCBWA's All-America Committee then will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced on the opening day of the College World Series on June 19.
Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the Year Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor in 2006, Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in 2007, Georgia's Joshua Fields topping the field in 2008 and San Diego State's Addison Reed grabbing the honor last season.