March 5, 2008
University Park, Pa. - Penn State closer and All-American candidate Drew O'Neil, who is already on the watch lists for three different major prestigious national awards, was added to a fourth watch list on Wednesday as he was named to the watch list for the Roger Clemens Award. The Clemens Award is in its fifth year of existence and is given annually to the top pitcher in collegiate baseball by the Greater Houston Baseball Association.
O'Neil is one of 78 pitchers on the preliminary watch list for the Clemens Award. He is also one of four pitchers from the Big Ten on the watch list. The junior closer is off to an outstanding start to this season. In three appearances and 2.2 innings, he has recorded two saves and is yet to allow a hit or an earned run. He is 2-for-2 in save chances and is now just two saves away from tying and three away from breaking the school record for career saves. O'Neil is also on the watch lists for the Brooks Wallace Award, the Golden Spikes Award and the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award.
Previous winners of the Roger Clemens Award include Jered Weaver (2004), Luke Hochevar (2005), Andrew Miller (2006) and David Price (2007). The finalists for the award are selected by a national voting panel that includes all Division I head baseball coaches, a selection of national media and the 16 previous winners of the R.E. "Bob" Smith Award, which was the predecesor to the Clemens Award. The 2008 award will be presented this summer.