Texas Tech University Athletics
John Neely Named to NCBWA All-America Team
June 15, 2011 | Baseball
Neely went 9-1 with a 2.97 ERA and posted seven saves
June 15, 2011
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech junior right-handed pitcher John Neely (Sugarland, Texas) has been named a 2011 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association third team All-America selection, the publication announced Wednesday. Neely was one of nine relief pitchers named to the first, second and third teams.
Neely is the first Red Raider to earn All-America honors since shortstop Cameron Blair received third team All-America honors from NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in 2005. Neely is the first Tech pitcher to be named an All-American since 1999 (Shane Wright, NCBWA - 2nd Team).
Neely, an All-Big 12 second team pick, was named to a pair of national award watch lists this season, including the NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year and National Pitcher of the Year list.
Neely's standout campaign included a 9-1 record in 30 appearances - all relief - with a 2.97 ERA and seven saves in 60.2 innings pitched with 56 strikeouts. He led the team in wins, ERA, appearances, saves, strikeouts and opponents batting average (.266).
In fact, Neely's efforts placed him in six all-time Texas Tech single-season and career top-10 record books.
In the first half of the season, Neely improved to 6-0 in only 24 team games becoming the fastest Tech pitcher to six wins since the 2001 season. Neely is also tied for fifth place all-time at Texas Tech with eight career saves. He tied the Tech all-time record for the most saves by a Red Raider in a two-year career.
Neely made 16 multiple-inning appearances while recording at least one strikeout in 23 contests. He tallied 16 scoreless appearances and nailed down all seven saves in situations that required at least 1.1 innings of work.
Neely was one of six players from the Big 12 Conference to earn All-America honors from the NCBWA, joining Texas' starting pitcher Taylor Jungmann (First Team), Kansas State's relief pitcher James Allen (First Team), Texas' relief pitcher Corey Knebel (First Team), Texas A&M's outfielder Tyler Naquin (Third Team) and Texas A&M's starting pitcher Ross Stripling (Third Team).
