The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 6 Baseball's Cozart named Stopper of the Year Award finalist
06.04.2026 | Baseball
Freshman is one of 14 finalists for prestigious honor presented annually to top relief pitcher in college baseball
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Longhorns standout Sam Cozart was selected as one of 14 finalists for the Stopper of the Year Award, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Thursday morning.
Cozart is the fifth finalist in program history, joining J. Brent Cox (2005), Chance Ruffin (2010), Corey Knebel (2011) and Dylan Volantis (2025). Cox, Ruffin and Knebel all won the award.
The 2026 Stopper of the Year will be announced during a news conference at the Men's College World Series in Omaha, Neb. on June 12.
Among Division I hurlers (min. 45 inn.) Cozart ranks first in WHIP (0.72) and batting average against (.137). Meanwhile, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound right-hander sits second in ERA (1.72), trailing only UC Santa Barbara's Jackson Flora (1.06).
The All-SEC First Team pick has recorded a 6-0 ledger and eight saves, which is the second-most of any rookies in the country.
Cozart, who was also tabbed a finalist for Baseball America National Freshman of the Year Award, has registered 67 strikeouts over 47 innings.
In SEC play, the freshman led all pitchers (min. 25 inn.) in ERA (1.01) and WHIP (0.64), while notching a co-league-best seven saves.
