NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt—which produced two NCAA Baseball Regional hosts and a College World Series championship series qualifier for the first time in conference history in 2025—had seven student-athletes named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award Preseason Watch List. 
 
The Sun Belt’s representatives included a trio from reigning national runner-up Coastal Carolina—junior Dominick Carbone, redshirt senior Darin Horn and graduate student Ryan Lynch, alongside individual representatives from four other programs—James Madison senior Max Kuhle, Louisiana junior Cody Brasch, Southern Miss senior Kros Sivley and Troy junior Hayden Smith. 
 
Carbone amassed a 6-0 record with a 2.36 ERA, 52 strikeouts and just nine walks over 41.0 innings pitched in 2025. The Rocky Point, N.Y., product added five saves and held opponents to a .233 batting average. 
 
Horn recorded a 5-1 record with a 2.73 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 19 walks over 26.1 innings pitched in 2025. The Blufton, S.C., native held opponents to a .196 batting average. 
 
Lynch compiled a 2-1 record with a 0.56 ERA, 36 strikeouts and 10 walks over 32.0 innings pitched in 2025. The Snohomish, Wash., product tallied nines saves and held opponents to a .195 batting average. 
 
Kuhle went 2-4  with a 4.02 ERA, 62 strikeouts and 21 walks over 56.0 innings pitched a year ago. The Virginia Beach, Va., native added three saves and held opponents to a .249 batting average. 
 
Brasch amassed a 2-3 record with a 5.25 ERA, 39 strikeouts and 27 walks over 36.0 innings pitched over three seasons at Tyler Junior College. The Haslet, Texas, product also registered two saves at the junior college level.  
 
Sivley accumulated a 7-1 record with a 4.14 ERA, 58 strikeouts and 20 walks over 71.2 innings pitched in 2025. The Sumrall, Miss., native held opponents to a .267 batting average. 
 
Smith recorded a 3.48 ERA with 15 strikeouts and five walks over 10.1 innings pitched at Kentucky in 2025. The Nicholasville, Ky., product aims to be a key cog in the Trojans bullpen this season. 
 
The Sun Belt’s seven-player contingent trailed only the SEC (17), ACC (13), Big Ten (13) and Big 12 (9). 
 
In total, 18 conferences were represented on this year’s Preseason Watch List, with 16 leagues boasting multiple honorees. 
 
NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List
Dominick Carbone, Coastal Carolina (Jr., RP – Rocky Point, N.Y.) 
Darin Horn, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., RP – Bluffton, SC.) 
Ryan Lynch, Coastal Carolina (Gr., RP – Snohomish, Wash.)
Max Kuhle, James Madison (Sr., RP – Virginia Beach, Va.) 
Cody Brasch, Louisiana (Jr., RP – Haslet, Texas) 
Kros Sivley, Southern Miss (Sr., RP – Sumrall, Miss.)
Hayden Smith, Troy (Jr., RP – Nicholasville, Ky.)