Western Kentucky pitchers Lucas Litteral and Cal Higgins were named to the 2025 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List, the association announced Wednesday.

The award is given annually to the top relief pitcher in Division I baseball.

Of the 77 players named to the initial watch list, WKU’s two selections are the only ones to represent Conference USA.

Litteral is coming off an impressive first season at WKU in 2024 after transferring in from Rend Lake College. The Paintsville native made 21 appearances on the mound and posted a 4-3 record with two saves. The junior posted a 4.31 ERA with 41 strikeouts through 31 1/3 innings of work. The left-hander received CUSA Pitcher of the Week honors in 2024 after striking out seven batters in 4 2/3 innings of relief work while allowing just one run on two hits in a win over New Mexico State. Litteral earned wins against Milwaukee, Jacksonville State, Middle Tennessee and New Mexico State.

Higgins enters his third season at WKU after a very productive junior season in 2024. The left-hander appeared in 22 games last year and notched a 3-0 record. The Kearney, Nebraska, native recorded a 3.18 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .218 batting average. Higgins got the hot hand last year, going eight consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run while recording eight strikeouts in 11 1/3 frames in that span. He earned wins against West Virginia, Milwaukee and SEMO.

Along with the 2025 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.

WKU opens its season with doubleheader to start its four-game series against Illinois State on Friday at Nick Denes Field starting at noon.