Brandon Neely was tabbed a Stopper of the Year Finalist and Jac Caglianone a Dick Howser Trophy Finalist.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A pair of University of Florida baseball standouts were honored as award finalists by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on Wednesday and Thursday in closer Brandon Neely<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-neely/15499> and first baseman/left-handed pitcher Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489>.
Neely was announced as one of 10 finalists for the 18th Annual Stopper of the Year Award, given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball. Meanwhile, Caglianone was named one of five finalists for the 36th Dick Howser Howser Trophy, presented to the national college baseball player of the year.
A Seville, Fla. native, Neely is the lone SEC representative to be a Stopper of the Year finalist. The Dick Howser Trophy finalists also includes LSU’s Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, West Virginia’s JJ Wetherholt and Wake Forest’s Rhett Lowder.
Shifting to Florida’s full-time closer in 2023 after serving as a weekend starter as a freshman, Neely has secured a perfect 12 saves in 12 opportunities this season. The First Team All-SEC reliever’s 12 saves lead the conference and are tied for seventh nationally. Making 28 appearances out of the pen, the right-hander wields a 3.63 ERA, .237 batting average against and 61 strikeouts in 44 2/3 frames.
The Stopper of the Year recipient will be announced via a news conference on Friday, June 16, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb.
Caglianone, a 2023 All-Southeastern Conference First Team selection via Tampa, Florida, is the all-time leader for home runs in a season for the Gators with 31 and the first SEC slugger to hit 30-plus homers since the 2003 season. He also has been a key starting rotation pitcher for UF with a 7-3 record, and 81 strikeouts in 69 innings.
The Gators standout led UF to a 20-10 SEC mark (tied for first overall with Arkansas) and an SEC-most 48 victories entering the Super Regionals. A USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award finalist also leads NCAA DI with .5 round-trippers per clash with 31 in 62 games.
As it pertains to the Dick Howser Trophy, the winner’s name is inscribed on the permanent trophy, a bronze bust of Howser, and the winner and his school receive a special trophy to keep.
NCBWA membership includes writers, broadcasters and publicists. Designed to promote and publicize college baseball, it is the sport’s only college media-related organization, founded in 1962. The Howser Trophy was created in 1987, shortly after Howser’s death.
2023 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Finalists
Kyle Amendt, Dallas Baptist (6-5, 237, Jr. Pleasantville, Iowa)
Cade Denton, Oral Roberts (6-3, 180, Jr., Rowlett, Texas)
Simon Miller, UTSA (6-2, 210, Jr., Canton, Texas)
Camden Minacci, Wake Forest (6-2, 215, Jr., Tampa, Fla.)
Tyson Neighbors, Kansas State (6-2, 220, So., Royse City, Texas)
Brandon Neely<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/brandon-neely/15499>, Florida (6-3, 210, So., Seville, Fla.)
Mitchell Scott, Kent State (6-1, 225, Gr., San Mateo, Calif.)
Teddy Sharkey, Coastal Carolina (5-11, 215, Jr., Wall, N.J.)
James Tallon, Duke (6-5, 195, Fr., Arlington, Va.)
Andrew Walters, Miami (6-4, 220. Jr., Palm Bay, Fla.)
2023 NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy Finalists
Jac Caglianone<https://floridagators.com/sports/baseball/roster/jac-caglianone/15489>, Florida
Dylan Crews, LSU
Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest
Paul Skenes, LSU
JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia
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