GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Washington State junior pitcher Ryan Walker has been named to the preseason watch list for the National Collegiate Baseball Associate Stopper of the Year, the NCBWA announced Monday. The award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball.
 
Walker earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention last season after posting the sixth lowest ERA (2.66) and batting average against (.212) in the conference during Pac-12 play. Of Washington State's 11 conference wins in 2016, the right-hander from Arlington, Wash. had his hand in eight of them, recording four wins and four saves. Overall, Walker led the Cougars with a 6-3 record and five saves in 18 appearances along with a 2.40 ERA, a .210 batting average against and 50 strikeouts in 63.2 innings, all in relief. Walker's six relief wins tied for the second-most relief wins in WSU single-season history.
 
Former Cougar pitcher and WSU's all-time leader in saves, Ian Hamilton was named to the same watch list prior to last season.

The Pac-12 Conference had the most representation with nine players finding their names on this year's watch list.
 
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, II and III Players of the Week and Division I, II and III Players of the Year.