Mercer’s Kourtis Named to NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List

MACON, Ga. (MERCER RELEASE) – Junior relief pitcher Dimitri Kourtis was honored as one of 50 relief pitchers in the country named to the initial watch list for the 10th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Award on Tuesday afternoon.

Kourtis joined Georgia’s Dylan Cole as the only two players from the state of Georgia voted onto the list and North Florida’s Corbin Olmstead as the only two relievers from the Atlantic Sun Conference recognized.

Kourtis was featured primarily as the Bears closer last season and developed into one of the most dominant and efficient relievers in the A-Sun Conference. Kourtis led the A-Sun with nine saves which were the 66th-most in the nation last season and the third-most in Mercer single-season history. The Alpharetta, Ga. product assembled a 5-3 record with 60 strikeouts and a 2.94 ERA while amazingly not allowing a single home run all season in 67.1 innings pitched.

Kourtis was rewarded for his efforts by being named to the 2013 A-Sun All-Conference first team and was just recently tabbed a member of the 2014 A-Sun Preseason All-Conference team.

This initial Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List will be updated by the NCBWA’s All-America Committee in a mid-season release on the week of April 21. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists on Wednesday, June 4, prior to start of NCAA Super Regional tournament competition.

Mercer kicks off its 2014 season at home on Friday, February 14 with a three-game series against Big South member High Point. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Claude Smith Field.