Jon Ivie Named to Stopper of the Year Watch List

WICHITA, Kan. – Senior closer Jon Ivie (Summertown, Tenn.) has been named to the NCBWA Pre-Season Stopper of the Year Watch List, as released by the National College Baseball Writers Association on Tuesday.  Ivie is among 45 players up for the award, given each year to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.

Ivie led the Bruins and the Atlantic Sun with 10 saves in 28 appearances in 2010. He was named to the All-Atlantic Sun First Team in the closer role and finished with a record of 3-1 while recording a team-best ERA of 3.93.  Ivie, who was named to the Mid-Season Watch List last season, tallied 27 strikeouts and only nine walks in 36.2 innings pitched.

Chris Kaminski of Jacksonville and Jack Wagoner of Florida Gulf Coast were the only other Atlantic Sun Conference players to earn recognition on the list.  Wagoner and Kaminski were second and third in the league last year with eight and seven saves, respectively.

The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to the nation's top player.  It also selects All-America Teams for all Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I and III Players of the Week, Division I District Players of the Year, and Division III Players of the Year.

Ivie and the Belmont baseball team will open the 2011 campaign at home against Illinois State on February 18, 19, and 20.