LUBBOCK, Texas — Wake Forest baseball’s Rhett Lowder was named one of five finalists for the 2023 Pitcher of the Year Award, as announced by the College Baseball Foundation this week.
For the second-straight year, Lowder was the only pitcher in the ACC to be named a finalist for the prestigious award given to the top collegiate pitcher in the nation, joining: Grant Rogers (McNeese State), Simon Miller (UT-San Antonio), Tyson Neighbors (Kansas State) and Paul Skenes (LSU).
The winner of the 2023 Pitcher of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday, June 16.
Last season, Lowder became the first Demon Deacon to be named a finalist for the award since its creation in 2009.
After becoming the third unanimous All-American in program history a year ago, Lowder reeled in the seventh All-America accolade of his career.
Lowder became the second pitcher in conference history to garner back-to-back ACC Pitcher of the Year honors (Danny Hultzen, 2010-11) on May 22.
The Albemarle, N.C. native heads into the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s leader in wins (13), while leading the ACC in ERA (1.69), innings pitched (952) and strikeouts (114). In ACC play, Lowder finished the regular season leading the conference in those same categories.
Lowder blanked a conference opponent four times this season (Miami, Louisville, BC and Florida State). The Albemarle, N.C. native has been awarded ACC Pitcher of the Week three times after such performances.
Dating back to last season, Lowder has allowed three earned runs or less in 29 of his last 31 starts and has gone at least six innings in 28 starts.
Lowder’s 13 victories this season is tied for second in program history. Additionally, the righthander has posted the most victories in a two-year period ever by a Demon Deacon hurler. His next victory will tie the program record set by Kyle Sleeth in 2002 (14).
Over the course of his career, Lowder has won 28 games, which is tied for the fourth most in program history and tied for the among active players in Division I baseball.
Lowder’s 114 strikeouts this season is good for fourth in Wake Forest single-season history, passing Kyle Sleeth (2002; 113), Parker Dunshee (2017; 111), John Hendricks (1998; 111), Mark Seaver (1996; 109) and Ryan Cusick (2021; 108) after striking out six against Pitt last Thursday.
Additionally, Lowder (297 career strikeouts) is in sole possession of the third-most strikeouts by a Demon Deacon ever. This mark is good for fourth among active pitchers in Division I baseball.
In his final start of the 2023 regular season, Lowder put together a remarkable performance, striking out a career-high 12 batters for his career-best and nation-leading 12th win of the season. The first seven outs of Lowder’s 14th start came via the strikeout. The righthander struck out the side in the first and tallied multiple strikeouts in four of his six frames.
In 2022, Lowder became the first Demon Deacon in program history to be named ACC Pitcher of the Year, the third Unanimous All-American in program history and the first Demon Deacon ever to be named a finalist for the Collegiate Pitcher of the Year Award.
For the second-straight year, Lowder was the only pitcher in the ACC to be named a finalist for the prestigious award given to the top collegiate pitcher in the nation, joining: Grant Rogers (McNeese State), Simon Miller (UT-San Antonio), Tyson Neighbors (Kansas State) and Paul Skenes (LSU).
The winner of the 2023 Pitcher of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday, June 16.
Last season, Lowder became the first Demon Deacon to be named a finalist for the award since its creation in 2009.
After becoming the third unanimous All-American in program history a year ago, Lowder reeled in the seventh All-America accolade of his career.
Lowder became the second pitcher in conference history to garner back-to-back ACC Pitcher of the Year honors (Danny Hultzen, 2010-11) on May 22.
The Albemarle, N.C. native heads into the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s leader in wins (13), while leading the ACC in ERA (1.69), innings pitched (952) and strikeouts (114). In ACC play, Lowder finished the regular season leading the conference in those same categories.
Lowder blanked a conference opponent four times this season (Miami, Louisville, BC and Florida State). The Albemarle, N.C. native has been awarded ACC Pitcher of the Week three times after such performances.
Dating back to last season, Lowder has allowed three earned runs or less in 29 of his last 31 starts and has gone at least six innings in 28 starts.
Lowder’s 13 victories this season is tied for second in program history. Additionally, the righthander has posted the most victories in a two-year period ever by a Demon Deacon hurler. His next victory will tie the program record set by Kyle Sleeth in 2002 (14).
Over the course of his career, Lowder has won 28 games, which is tied for the fourth most in program history and tied for the among active players in Division I baseball.
Lowder’s 114 strikeouts this season is good for fourth in Wake Forest single-season history, passing Kyle Sleeth (2002; 113), Parker Dunshee (2017; 111), John Hendricks (1998; 111), Mark Seaver (1996; 109) and Ryan Cusick (2021; 108) after striking out six against Pitt last Thursday.
Additionally, Lowder (297 career strikeouts) is in sole possession of the third-most strikeouts by a Demon Deacon ever. This mark is good for fourth among active pitchers in Division I baseball.
In his final start of the 2023 regular season, Lowder put together a remarkable performance, striking out a career-high 12 batters for his career-best and nation-leading 12th win of the season. The first seven outs of Lowder’s 14th start came via the strikeout. The righthander struck out the side in the first and tallied multiple strikeouts in four of his six frames.
In 2022, Lowder became the first Demon Deacon in program history to be named ACC Pitcher of the Year, the third Unanimous All-American in program history and the first Demon Deacon ever to be named a finalist for the Collegiate Pitcher of the Year Award.
