CHAMPAIGN, Ill.- Western Michigan junior right-handed pitcher Gabe Berman has been announced as one of 37 players nationally to be named to the annual Stopper of the Year watch list, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Tuesday (Feb. 10). The Stopper of the Year Award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.

Berman enters the 2015 season with 14 career saves, third most for a career at WMU and three shy of breaking the school record of 16. Last season as a sophomore, Berman had a 1-3 record with a 2.62 ERA and nine saves as the team's top closer. The nine saves ranked third most in a WMU single season and second most among Mid-American Conference pitchers in 2014.

Making a team-high 23 appearances, Berman recorded 41 strikeouts and allowed only 19 walks over 34.1 innings pitched. He held opposing hitters to a .231 batting average and surrendered just six extra base hits, including no home runs. Berman's biggest performance came at No. 7 Louisville on Feb. 23, in which he gave up just one hit over five shutout innings, striking out six and walking one to earn the win.

In addition to being named to the Stopper of the Year list, Berman was also one of six Broncos named as “Top Mid-American Conference Players to Watch” by Collegiate Baseball in the publication's January issue.

The NCBWA introduced the Stopper of the Year award in the 2005 season to honor the nation's top relief pitcher. The 2015 Stopper of the Year watch list will be updated with a midseason release the week of April 20, including the national saves leaders.

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 3, prior to start of NCAA Super Regional competition. The NCBWA's All-America Committee will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced during the 2015 College World Series.

The Pac-12 and Big Ten Conferences led the way with five players each on this year's watch list, while the Atlantic Coast, Big West and Southern Conferences each had three. Four conferences have two players apiece on the list: the Southeastern, Mountain West, Missouri Valley and Mid-American Conferences.