IRVINE, Calif. -- Forty players, including Elon junior righty Thomas Girdwood, have been named to the initial watch list for the sixth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award.  The award is presented to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball each year.
 
Three of the five finalists from 2009 return to the list this season, including 2009 winner Addison Reed of San Diego State.  Girdwood is the lone representative from the Southern Conference.
 
Already Elon's career saves leader with 27, Girdwood ranked third nationally with 17 saves a year ago to set both a program and league mark.  He enters the 2010 campaign just two saves shy of equaling the SoCon's career record of 29 saves.
 
Girdwood made 29 appearances in 2009, logging 25.1 innings.  He walked just 14 hitters while fanning 38 batters in that span.  The league's coaches honored him with first-team all-league accolades and he claimed a spot on the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association's All-State Team.
 
As a freshman, Girdwood saved 10 games and went 5-2 in 29 appearances.  He fanned 31 and walked 19 in 26.0 innings of action.  Following the year he was named the 2008 SoCon Freshman of the Year, was a first-team All-SoCon pick and claimed a spot on the "Louisville Slugger" Freshmen All-American Baseball Team.