HOUSTON, TX -- Senior closer David Slovak was named to the annual Roger Clemens Award watch list as selected by the Greater Houston Baseball Association.

The honor, which is in its fifth year of existence, is annually presented to the top pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball. Seventy-eight players were named to the initial list.

The finalists for the award will be selected in a vote by a national panel that includes all Division I baseball coaches, a selection of national media, and the 16 winners of the R.E. Smith Award, which is presented to the top player in the country. The honor will be presented in the summer.

With his selection, Slovak, a right-handed pitcher from Louisville, KY (Eastern H.S.), becomes just the second Blue Hen in team history to earn the honor. Brent Gaphardt also was named to the list in 2005.

This season, Slovak has already notched a win and a save for the Blue Hens while compiling a 1.35 ERA. Over his 6.2 innings pitched, he has struck out nine while surrendering just a single walk.

Last season, during his first year with Delaware after transferring from Shelton State Community College, Slovak served as the Blue Hens’ relief ace, notching 12 saves while posting a 4.15 earned run average. He also led Delaware with 35 appearances and held opponents to a .233 batting average.

His 12 saves and 35 appearances both set single-season program records. He also stands just four saves shy of the all-time career mark set by Scott Gellert from 1994-97.

For his efforts in 2007, Slovak was selected to the second-team All-Colonial Athletic Association squad. He also earned Pitcher of the Week honors on April 16 after recording three saves while striking out seven during a four-game stretch.

Slovak was just one of three pitchers from the CAA to earn a place on the list. Old Dominion's Dan Hudson and Anthony Shawler also were honored.

The four previous winners of the award were Jered Weaver of Long Beach State (2004), Luke Hochevar of Tennessee (2005), Andrew Miller of North Carolina (2006), and David Price of Vanderbilt (2007). All four men were eventually selected in the first-round of the Major League Baseball draft, including Hochevar and Price who were the top overall selections.