SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State senior right-handed pitcher Ethan Lay was named as one of 43 semifinalists for the College Baseball Foundation's National Pitcher of the Year Award the organization announced on Wednesday (April 22).

Among a list that represents 17 different conferences and one independent program, Lay is one of two pitchers from the Western Athletic Conference and one of 13 from West Coast programs to make the list. The 43 semifinalists were culled from a group of more than 140 hurlers from across the nation named to the initial watch list back on March 11.

Already a two-time WAC Pitcher of the Week, Lay enters this week's games with a 4-1 overall record and a 1.93 ERA over 10 starts this year, striking out 66 over 60.2 innings of work against only seven walks and holding opposing hitters to a .220 batting average.

He ranks in the top five in the nation in both strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.43) and fewest walks allowed per nine innings (1.04), while standing No. 22 in WHIP (0.96), No. 23 in ERA, and No. 59 in strikeouts (66).

Among his WAC brethren, Lay leads the league in innings pitched and fewest walks allowed while ranking second in the WAC in ERA, average against, and strikeouts. He also stands among the top 10 in fewest hits allowed (10th - 51) and fewest runs allowed (5th - 22).

The National Pitcher of the Year Award was first awarded in 2009. Previous winners of the award are Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State, 2009; Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State, 2010; Trevor Bauer, UCLA, RHP, 2011; Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford, 2012; Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma, 2013; Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU, 2014; Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt, 2015; Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State, 2016; Steven Gingery, LHP, Texas Tech, 2017; Luke Heimlich, LHP, Oregon State, 2018; Ethan Small, LHP, Mississippi State, 2019; Kevin Kopps, RHP, Arkansas, 2021; Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State, 2022; Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU, 2023; Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas, 2024 and Jake Knapp, RHP, North Carolina, 2025.

Lay and his Hornet teammates continue a run of eight-straight games on the road this weekend in Southern California, facing off against No. 1 UCLA in a three-game series on April 24-26 at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.

2026 NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
Name, Position, Classification, School, Conference
Hunter Alexander, RHP, Senior, UCA, ASUN
Cooper Allen, RHP, Junior, UNCW, CAA
Andreas Alvares, RHP, Sophomore, Auburn, SEC
Max Bayles, RHP, Junior, Santa Clara, WCC
Ben Blair, RHP, Junior, Liberty, CUSA
Chansen Cole, RHP, Sophomore, West Virginia, Big 12
Sam Cozart, RHP, Freshman, Texas, SEC
John Damozonio, RHP, Senior, Saint Mary's, WCC
Jason DeCaro, RHP, Junior, North Carolina, ACC
Mason Edwards, LHP, Junior, USC, Big Ten
Andrew Evans, RHP, RS-Junior, Southern Illinois, MVC
Jackson Flora, RHP, Junior, UC Santa Barbara, Big West
Braden Gebhardt, LHP, Senior, Youngstown State, Horizon
Caden Glauber, RHP, Freshman, North Carolina, ACC
Lucas Hartman, RHP, Graduate, Virginia, ACC
Aidan King, RHP, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
Will Labonte, RHP, Freshman, Portland, WCC
Ethan Lay, RHP, Senior, Sacramento State, WAC
Nathan Leininger, RHP, Senior, Toledo, MAC
Chris Levonas, RHP, Sophomore, Wake Forest, ACC
Isaiah Magdaleno, RHP, Junior, Hawaii, Big West
Micheal Malki, RHP, Sophomore, Cal Baptist, WAC
Jake Marciano, LHP, Sophomore, Auburn, SEC
Walter McDuffie, RHP, Sophomore, North Carolina, ACC
Wes Mendes, LHP, Junior, Florida State, ACC
Wylan Moss, RHP, Sophomore, UCLA, Big Ten
Mikiah Negrete, LHP, Senior, Cal State Fullerton, Big West
Chris Olivier, RHP, Senior, Lamar, Southland
Ryan Peterson, RHP, Junior, Sam Houston, CUSA
Eli Pillsbury, LHP, RS-Junior, Jacksonville State, CUSA
Logan Reddemann, RHP, Junior, UCLA, Big Ten
Bryce Riggs, RHP, Junior, Eastern Illinois, OVC
Albert Roblez, RHP, Senior, Oregon State, Independent
Michael Sharman, LHP, Senior, Clemson, ACC
Patrick Steitz, RHP, RS-Senior, VCU, A-10
Dakota Stone, LHP, RS-Junior, North Florida, ASUN
Cayden Suchy, LHP, Sophomore, UConn, BIG EAST
Max Vaisvila, LHP, Senior, Northern Illinois, MAC
Tomas Valincius, LHP, Sophomore, Mississippi State, SEC
Dylan Volantis, LHP, Sophomore, Texas, SEC
Dax Whitney, RHP, Sophomore, Oregon State, Independent
Maxx Yehl, LHP, RS-Junior, West Virginia, Big 12
Bradley Zayac, RHP, Sophomore, Liberty, CUSA