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Stagliano Tabbed Second Team All-Big 12, Five Earn Honorable Mention Recognition

by James Warnick

IRVING, Texas – UCF junior right-handed pitcher Dom Stagliano earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors on Monday and five Knights received All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recognition.

The starting pitcher Stagliano was tabbed to the league’s second team for the first time in his career, while junior pitcher Dominic Castellano, senior pitchers Chase Centala and Kyle Kramer, senior catcher Danny Neri, and junior outfielder Matt Prevesk earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades for the 2024 campaign.

Stagliano highlights the group with the Big 12’s Second Team selection after striking out 60 batters over 66.0 innings of work, while limiting opposing hitters to just a .190 batting average. Of his 12 starts on the year, he has gone five or more innings seven times, which includes a season-long 7.0 innings in a win over Central Michigan. He was also a part of a combined shutout against South Florida on March 3 and struck out five or more batters in nine of his outings, including a season-best seven three different times. The right-hander also ranks third in the league and 16th nationally with a 0.98 WHIP. He has compiled a 3.82 ERA on the season with three wins.

The all-conference recognition marks the first of the career for Stagliano. He previously earned ASUN All-Freshman Team accolades and Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America honors during his freshman campaign at Stetson in 2022.

Castellano earned Big 12 Honorable Mention honors, as he holds a perfect 5-0 record and an impressive 2.98 ERA. He has also earned three saves against Big 12 foes on the season, as they’ve come in wins over Kansas, Houston and No. 18 Texas. The southpaw has also struck out 58 batters over 51.1 innings. In 18 appearances, he leads the team in opposing batting average, limiting hitters to just a .160 clip. He has also gone four or more innings eight different times on the year and has six scoreless appearances.

Centala holds a 3-0 record with seven saves during his senior campaign. Over 18 appearances, the RHP holds 36 strikeouts in 30.1 innings of work. He’s also limited opponents to a .274 batting average. Centala has picked up saves on the season over Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Miami, Sout Florida, Bryant, and Samford, as well as wins over Oklahoma State, Florida Atlantic, and USF. He was also named to the NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List last month.

Kramer leads the Black and Gold in both appearances with 29 and wins with seven (7-3). His 29 appearances are also good enough to front the Big 12 and rank him 15th nationally. He also holds a 3.05 ERA and one save. Kramer, who holds 36 strikeouts in 38.1 innings, is limiting opponents to just a .227 batting average on the year. A team captain for UCF in 2024, Kramer was named to the NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List earlier this season.

Neri holds a .278 batting average and an .850 OPS. He also holds eight extra-base hits, 21 runs batted in and 23 runs scored. He has recorded five multiple-hit contests and five more multiple RBI outings. Neri has also thrown out five would-be base stealers on the season.

Prevesk leads the Knights in hitting with a stellar .360 batting average and 76 total hits. His .360 average and his 76 hits are also good for fourth in the conference in both categories. Prevesk also leads the Black and Gold with 41 runs scored and has recorded 10 doubles, five homers, three triples, 35 runs batted in, and a .931 OPS. The leftfielder also paces the team in multiple-hit games with 25 and is second in multiple-RBI outings with 12.

The honorees were selected in a vote of the league’s head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.

The announcement of the All-Big 12 squads comes on the eve of the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, as the tournament will get underway on Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The eighth-seeded Knights will open play against a familiar foe in fifth-seeded Cincinnati at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT. The double-elimination conference tournament will run Tuesday through Saturday.

Click here to view the full 2024 All-Big 12 Honors.