MARSHALL, Texas – Solidifying his name as one of the best, ever, to pitch in NCAA Division III, East Texas Baptist University's Sayers Collins has been named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) National Pitcher of the Year for NCAA Division III. This his second national pitcher of the year award after Perfect Game named him the best earlier in May.
 
"This is an unbelievable accomplishment. To even be considered as one of the top players in any position is an incredible honor," says ETBU head baseball coach Jared Hood. "I am really proud of Sayers and all of the hard work he has put in route to this award."
 
Collins is the first American Southwest Conference pitcher to receive the award since the ABCA went to a player and pitcher award in 2018. McMurry University's Derek David won the award in 2008.
 
As the best pitcher to come through the ASC, Collins is ranked third all-time in strikeouts in NCAA Division III with 421. He holds the single season and career records for the ASC in career strikeouts and wins (41) along with single season strikeouts (135) and wins (12). The fifth ASC record he holds is for Pitcher of the Week earning it 15 times in four seasons.
 
This year brought Collins his third straight All-American award being on both the D3baseball.com and ABCA first team. Named the ABCA Region 10 Pitcher of the Year for the third straight year, he went 12-1 with a 1.23 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched. At the beginning of the season, he combined for a no-hitter over no. 6 Lynchburg and had four shutouts on the year. He posted a season high 11 strikeouts vs. Hardin-Simmons on April 13 as teams only hit .160 against him all season.
 
ETBU finished the year 39-10 winning the NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas Regional Tournament and hosting the Super Regional Tournament. They won their third straight ASC regular season championship and finished the year ranked in the top 10 in three different polls being voted as high as no. 2 in the nation in May.