DALLAS (NCBWA) – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week awards presented by The Game Headwear for the period ending March 3. Columbia senior first baseman Jack Cooper was named National Hitter of the Week, while Winthrop senior left-handed pitcher Riley Huge was named National Pitcher of the Week. The NCBWA Board reviews candidates from each Division I Conference and names winners each Tuesday throughout the season.

In his lone start of the week in the first game of the three-game home series with Maine on Saturday (an 8-0 Eagles victory in the first game of a doubleheader), Huge pitched 7.2 innings, allowing only one hit and two walks, while recording 20 of his 23 outs via strikeout to lead Winthrop to an 8-0 victory over Maine.

His 20 strikeouts are believed to be the all-time single-game Big South record and are the most by any NCAA pitcher since 2017. He struck out the first six hitters he faced before permitting a baserunner, and of his 23 outs, he factored into 22 of the 23 comprised of 20 strikeouts and two groundouts back to the mound. With this performance, Huge broke the Winthrop single-game strikeout record previously held by Kevin Slowey (19 vs. NYIT on Apr. 12, 2003).

This is the first time that an Eagle has won a national player of the week honors by the NCBWA since Jacob Dempsey on May 11, 2006.

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. For more information about the NCBWA, visit the association's official Web site, www.ncbwa.com. For more information, contact NCBWA Executive Associate Director Mike Montoro (304-293-2821, mike.montoro@mail.wvu.edu).