University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pair of Panthers Named to NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watchlist
2/10/2026 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – Pitt's Mikey Gray and Daniel McAuliff were each named to the Stopper of the Year Preseason Watchlist this afternoon, the NCBWA announced.
The NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award is given annually to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball.
Right-handed pitcher Daniel McAuliff was a key arm out of the bullpen in his first year with the Panthers last season. The Miami, FL native earned three saves and two wins in his 20 appearances in 2025. McAuliff logged six multiple-strikeout appearances in his 19.1 innings of work.
Left-handed pitcher Mikey Gray enters his first year with the Pitt baseball program after transferring in from Denison. Gray spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Denison and helped the Big Red punch their ticket to the school's first Division III College World Series last season. Last year, Gray struck out 53 batters while he earned three saves and two wins in 20 appearances.
A total of 104 players were named to the initial 2026 Watch List for the 21st Annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award. The NCBWA, founded in 1962, 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.
The Panthers begin their 2026 campaign this Friday, February 13th against the Western Michigan Broncos in Port Charlotte, FL.
