Dec. 12, 2007

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - University of Richmond senior pitcher Brian Alas was named to the preseason watch list for the 2008 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award. The award is presented to the nation's top collegiate baseball player in conjunction with the College Baseball Hall of Fame's annual induction festivities.

A Second Team All-Atlantic 10 selection last season, Alas set Richmond single-season records for both saves (14) and appearances (36), while leading the A-10 in both categories. The right-handed closer helped the Spiders to a 32-28 overall mark last season and to a third-place finish in the A-10 at 18-9.

His 14 saves were tied for fifth-most in the NCAA last season.

The Port Washington, N.Y. native fanned 62 against 24 walks for a team-leading ratio of +2.58. Blowing just one save all season, Alas was called on for two saves in a series twice - against Rhode Island and Temple - and converted all four. His ERA was 4.77 for the season, but was 3.76 over his last 34 outings.

Alas is one of 21 Spiders returning for the 2008 season, which also includes starting pitchers Alex Hale and Matt Zielinski. Hale, a senior, was a late-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Angels and Zielinski, a sophomore, was the 2007 A-10 Rookie of the Year and a Louisville Slugger and Ping Freshman All-American.

Four other Atlantic 10 players made the Wallace watch list: Charlotte's Brad McElroy and Chris Taylor, John Rickards from La Salle and Sean Barksdale at Temple.

The Spiders' home-opener is set for February 26 versus Wallace Award hopefully Tim Park and his William & Mary Tribe. Richmond opens the season in Jacksonville, Fla. at the Jacksonville University Tournament Feb. 22-24.