FARMVILLE, VA. –  Longwood junior right-handed relief pitcher Devin Gould was named to the National College Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Watch List, the NCBWA announced this week. The award is given to the best relief pitcher in Division I baseball.

Gould, a Fairfax Station, Va., native, was one of 70 pitchers named to the list after a sophomore season in which he led the Lancers with three saves. Gould posted strong strikeout numbers as a sophomore, fanning 35 batters in 33 innings pitched over his 19 appearances. For his career Gould has recorded one strikeout for every 4.35 batter faced.

The power-pitching righty enters the season after a strong summer with the Staunton Braves of the Valley Baseball League. Gould was ranked the top right-handed pitching prospect in the league and the No. 4 overall prospect in the Valley Baseball League by Baseball America. Gould is expected to close games for Longwood in 2016.

The 2016 Stopper of the Year Watch List will be updated with a midseason release on Wednesday, April 27. At the conclusion of the regular season the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, June 8, prior to the NCAA Super Regionals. The NCBWA's All-America Committee will select the winner, to be announced at the 2016 College World Series.

Gould is one of nine pitchers to return from the 2015 Lancer team that went 22-34 and 9-15 in the Big South. Longwood returns a total of 18 letterwinners from last season.

Longwood opens the season on the road at East Carolina February 19 with a 4 p.m. first pitch.

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