UTRGV’s Loa, Lopez named to national award watch lists

Bryan Ramos

EDINBURG — A pair of Rio Grande Valley high school baseball products who now star for the UTRGV baseball team were announced as members of the two national award watch lists Friday.

Junior Los Fresnos alum Víctor Loa, a left-handed pitcher with the Vaqueros, is being honored as one of the top 54 pitchers in the nation as a member of the Pitcher of the Year Award Watch List.

Graduate student and Edinburg Vela alum Isaac Lopez, who plays shortstop for UTRGV, is being honored as one of the top 100 shortstops in the nation as a member of the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List.

VICTOR LOA

The Pitcher of the Year award honors the nation’s top pitcher and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year.

Loa is one of two pitchers in the Southland Conference (SLC) on the watch list, along with Brennan Stuprich(Southeastern).

Loa is 5-1 with a 1.94 ERA. In 41.2 innings, he has allowed just 24 hits, 18 of which have been singles. Opponents are hitting .169 off him. Loa has struck out 39, nearly a batter per inning.

UTRGV’s Victor Loa pitches during a game at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg. Courtesy Photo – UTRGV Athletics.

Loa ranks 12^th in the NCAA and first in the SLC in hits allowed per nine innings (5.18), 17^th in the NCAA and first in the SLC in ERA (1.94), 62^nd in the NCAA and fourth in the SLC in wins (5), 107^th in the NCAA and eighth in the SLC in starts (nine), and 135^th in the NCAA and sixth in the SLC in WHIP (1.18).

Loa has allowed just one hit in three starts this season. He’s held opponents to just two hits in each of his last two starts and hasn’t allowed a run in three of his last four starts. In total, Loa hasn’t allowed a run in five of his nine starts. UTRGV is 6-3 when Loa starts.

“We are extremely excited about the group of pitchers who are leading the way in 2025,” Pitcher of the Year Award co-chair Chris Snead said. “This will be a difficult choice to select the best of the best!”

ISAAC LOPEZ

The Brooks Wallace Award honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.

The Edinburg Vela alum Lopez is one of three shortstops in the Southland Conference (SLC) on the watch list, along with TJ Salvaggio (Southeastern) and Zane Spinn (Lamar).

Lopez is hitting .359/.425/.556 with 10 doubles, six home runs, 31 RBI, 39 runs scored, six stolen bases, and a .982 fielding percentage in 34 games as the Vaqueros’ starting shortstop.

UTRGV’s Isaac Lopez at-bat during a game at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg. Courtesy Photo – UTRGV Athletics.

Lopez ranks 28^th in the NCAA and second in the SLC in sacrifice flies (5), 73^rd in the NCAA and third in the SLC in hits per game (1.50), 103^rd in the NCAA and fourth in the SLC in runs per game (1.15), 113^th in the NCAA and eighth in the SLC in hits (51), 144^th in the NCAA and eighth in the SLC in runs scored (39), and 202^nd in the NCAA and eighth in the SLC in hitting (.359). He is also among the toughest to strike out, ranking 137^th in the NCAA and sixth in the SLC with just one strikeout every 8.9 at-bats.

Lopez has 16 multi-hit games, including seven of at least three hits, and nine multi-RBI games, including three of at least three RBI. He is currently on a 13-game on-base streak.

Defensively, Lopez has made just two errors this season and has played flawless defense over the last 21 games.

“It’s a great time of the year when we get to start diving into looking at all the shortstops from around the country and who might best represent the Brooks Wallace Award this year,” said Larry Wallace, co-chair of the Brooks Wallace Award. “This list doesn’t disappoint with some stellar offensive numbers along with some outstanding gloves to represent the shortstop position.”

For more information on the Pitcher of the Year and Brooks Wallace Awards, visit the College Baseball Foundation website at CollegeBaseballHall.org.

2025 Pitcher of the Year Award Watch List

• Ben Alekson, Fairfield, MEAC

• Kade Anderson, LSU, SEC

• Jamie Arnold, Florida State, ACC

• Cam Bagwell, UNCW, Coastal Athletic Association

• Trey Beard, Florida Atlantic, AAC

• Jack Bennett, Western Kentucky, Conference USA

• Ben Blair, Liberty, Conference USA

• Colton Book, Saint Joseph’s, Atlantic 10

• Vincent Borghese, Central Connecticut, Northeast Conference

• Corey Braun, South Florida, AAC

• Brandon Cassedy, George Mason, Atlantic 10

• Gabe Craig, Baylor, Big 12

• Dylan Crooks, Oklahoma, SEC

• Liam Doyle, Tennessee, SEC

• Joseph Dzierwa, Michigan State, Big Ten

• Reid Easterly, Duke, ACC

• Riley Eckhoff, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt

• Clay Edmondson, UNC Ashville, Big South

• Eric Elliott, Jackson State, SWAC

• Kane Elmy, Murray State, Missouri Valley Conference

• Casan Evans, LSU, SEC

• Blake Gillespie, Charlotte, American Athletic Conference

• Cole Giley, Indiana, Big Ten

• Jonathan Gonzalez, Stetson, Atlantic Sun

• Max Grubbs, Texas, SEC

• Aidan Haugh, North Carolina, ACC

• Kegan Johnson, Ball State, MAC

• Riley Kelly, UC Irvine, Big West

• Jake Knapp, North Carolina, ACC

• Pico Kohn, Mississippi State, SEC

• Tommy LaPour, TCU, Big 12

• Víctor Loa, UTRGV, Southland

• Richard Long, Jacksonville, Atlantic Sun

• JB Middleton, Southern Miss, Sun Belt

• Griffin Miller, Marshall, Sun Belt

• Cade Montgomery, Utah Tech, WAC

• Blake Morningstar, Wake Forest, ACC

• Jacob Morrison, Coastal Carolina, Sun Belt

• Cade Obermueller, Iowa, Big Ten

• Connor O’Hara, George Mason, Atlantic 10

• Jack Ohman, Yale, Ivy League

• Ricky Ojeda, UC Irvine, Big West

• Carson Ozmer, Alabama, SEC

• Mason Patel, Georgia Tech, ACC

• Lane Pearson, West Georgia, Atlantic Sun

• Calvin Proskey, USCB, Big West

• Brennan Stuprich, Southeastern, Southland

• Joseph Taylor, South Florida, AAC

• Zane Taylor, UNCW, Coastal Athletic Association

• Ian Umlandt, Oregon, Big Ten

• Dylan Volantis, Texas, SEC

• Joey Volini, Florida State, ACC

• Drew Whalen, Western Kentucky, Conference USA

• Kryson Witherspoon, Oklahoma, SEC

2025 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List

•Trent Abel, Cal State Northridge, Big West

•Alex Adams, Air Force, Mountain West

•Landon Akers, Bellarmine, Atlantic Sun

•Alex Alicia, Louisville, ACC

•Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas, SEC

•Nick Arias, Abilene Christian, WAC

•Aiva Arquette, Oregon State, Independent

•Davis Baker, Penn State, Ivy League

•Dillon Baker, Miami OH, Mid-American

•Michael Ball, Nevada, Mountain West

•Emilio Barreras, Grand Canyon, WAC

•Eric Becker, Virginia, ACC

•Tyler Bell, Kentucky, SEC

•Beny Bikar, Southern, SWAC

•Chase Bloomer, SIUE, OVC

•Kolby Branch, Georgia, SEC

•Armando Briseno, Long Beach State, Big West

•Dylan Carey, Nebraska, Big Ten

•Yomar Carreras, Rutgers, Big Ten

•Benjamin Casillas, Michigan, Big Ten

•Nate Castellon, Cal Poly, Big West

•Roch Cholowsky, UCLA, Big Ten

•Wallace Clark, Duke, ACC

•Lucas Cook, Purdue, Big Ten

•Jack Cotrone, Davidson, Atlantic 10

•Sam Decarlo, Washington, Big Ten

•Justin Decriscio, NC State, ACC

•Ahmar Denatto, Prairie View A&M, SWAC

•Tyler Epstein, Missouri State, Missouri Valley

•Deric Fabian, Auburn, SEC

•Ryne Farber, Texas State, Sun Belt

•Jalin Flores, Texas, SEC

•Bradley Frye, Mercer, Southern

•Nomar Garcia, Indiana State, Missouri Valley

•Jonathan Gomez, Farleigh Dickinson, Northeast

•Jack Goodman, Northeastern, Coastal Athletic

•Dylan Grego, Ball State, Mid-American

•Kevin Hager, Cornell, Ivy League

•Cam Hassert, Loyola Marymount, West Coast

•Kai Holm, Lipscomb, Atlantic Sun

•Marek Houston, Wake Forest, ACC

•Keen Hunter, UNC Asheville, Big South

•Core Jackson, Utah, Big 12

•Antonio Jimenez, UCF, Big 12

•Kevin Jones, UNCW, Coastal Athletic

•Camden Karczewski, Purdue Ft Wayne, Horizon

•Tyriq Kemp, Baylor, Big 12

•Ryan Kennell, Radford, Big South

•Brodie Kesser, West Virginia, Big 12

•Jimmy King, Holy Cross, Patriot

•Matt King, Arizona State, Big 12

•Alex Kizearry, Quinnipiac, MAAC

•Jake Lambdin, Xavier, BIG EAST

•Isaiah Lane, San Diego, West Coast

•Maddox Latta, Cal State Fullerton, Big West

•Justin Lebron, Alabama, SEC

•Brando Leroux, FAU, AAC

•Tyler Lichtenberger, Appalachian State, Sun Belt

•Alex Lodise, Florida State, ACC

•Kyle Lodise, Georgia Tech, ACC

•Isaac Lopez, UTRGV, Southland

•Alex Madeira, North Carolina, ACC

•Maximus Martin, Kansas State, Big 12

•Luke Mathews, Kent State, Mid-American

•Jonathan Mendez, UC Santa Barbara, Big West

•Lorenzo Meola, Stetson, Atlantic Sun

•Jared Mettam, Saint Mary’s College, West Coast

•Steven Milam, LSU, SEC

•Cody Miller, East Tennessee State, Southern

•Sam Miller, Columbia, Ivy League

•Gable Mitchell, Iowa, Big Ten

•Maddox Molony, Oregon, Big Ten

•J R Nelson, Ohio, Mid-American

•Charlie Niehaus, Cincinnati, Big 12

•Ben North, Creighton, BIG EAST

•Sheehan O’connor, New Mexico State, Conference USA

•J Ogden, Miami, ACC

•Ray Ortiz, NJIT, American East

•Michael Perazzo, Sacramento State, WAC

•Rob Rispoli, Connecticut, BIG EAST

•Shai Robinson, Illinois State, Missouri Valley

•TJ Rogers, San Francisco, West Coast

•Trent Rumley, Canisius, MAAC

•TJ Salvaggio, Southeastern, Southland

•Blake Schaaf, Georgetown, BIG EAST

•Jake Schaffner, North Dakota State, Summit

•Colby Shelton, Florida, SEC

•Ike Shirey, Tarleton State, WAC

•Brady Short, Central Connecticut, Northeast

•Carter Sintek, South Dakota State, Summit

•Clayton Slack, Southern Indiana, OVC

•Zane Spinn, Lamar, Southland

•Trent Turner, Western Carolina, Southern

•Jonathan Vastine, Vanderbilt, SEC

•Michael Whooley, Villanova, BIG EAST

•Jaxson Willits, Oklahoma, SEC

•Matt Wolfe, Middle Tennessee, Conference USA

•Kade Wood, Mississippi Valley State, SWAC

•Drew Wyers, Bryant, American East

•Ryan Wynn, Wofford, Southern

•Colin Yeaman, UC Irvine, Big West

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