DALLAS - Western Michigan senior right-hander Hayden Berg has been named to the initial Watch List for the 19th annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year award. The Stopper of the Year award is given out to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I Baseball. Of the 73 pitchers named to the initial Watch List, Berg was the lone representative from the Mid-American Conference.

A College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection last season, Berg made 20 appearances on the mound for the Brown and Gold, 19 of which came in relief. Despite making just one start, the righty still finished third on the Broncos in both innings pitched (52.1) and strikeouts (48). He also finished with the top ERA on the team (4.47, 12th in the MAC) and led Western Michigan with four saves, which was fourth-most in the conference. 

In conference play, Berg posted a 3.13 ERA and limited opposing hitters to a .212 batting average, with both marks ranking seventh in the league. One of his biggest outings of the season was collecting a three-inning save against Central Michigan on May 18, which secured WMU's place in the MAC Tournament. He made his lone start of the season in an elimination game against CMU in the conference tournament and dealt a season-high six innings and struck out a season-high seven, while allowing just two earned runs and two hits.

Berg and the Broncos are just days away from beginning their 2024 season, as they open up a four-game Opening Weekend series against Michigan on Friday, Feb. 16. The four-game series against the Wolverines is set to be played at Camelback Ranch Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz., the spring training home of the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.