Western Kentucky reliever Mason Burns pitches against Liberty on April 20 at Nick Denes Field.

Western Kentucky relief pitcher Mason Burns was selected as a Stopper of the Year Finalist, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Wednesday.

The Stoper of the Year is an award given annually to the top relief pitcher in Division I Baseball.

Burns was previously selected to the NCBWA Preseason and Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List. The preseason list consisted of 73 players, while the midseason list recognized 59 players. Burns is one of 10 players recognized as a finalist for the award.

The senior closer finished off a historic 2024 campaign as the go-to guy out of the Hilltopper bullpen following an outstanding junior season in 2023. The right-hander’s 15 saves marked the most in a single season in program history, breaking the record previously held by Ian Thompkins, who had 14 in the 2014 season. His 19 career saves are the second-most by a Hilltopper pitcher in program history. Overall, the Bloomington, Illinois native held a 3-3 record with 52 strikeouts in 32 innings and a 4.00 ERA.

Prior to the start of the 2024 season, Burns was known as one of the top relief pitchers in the country as he was recognized by multiple media outlets including being named to Perfect Game USA’s “Top 75 College Seniors,” coming in at No. 48 on the list, as well as being selected to the Conference USA Preseason All-Conference Team as a relief pitcher.

The Stopper of the Year recipient will be announced via a news conference on June 14 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

Along with the 2024 Stopper of the Year, the NCBWA 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.{&end}