Brett Kerry may be a starter at the beginning of the year, but that hasn't stopped one national outlet from considering him one of the better bullpen arms in the country to start the year.

Kerry was one of just 70 players to be named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's Stopper of the Year preseason watch list, which is given annually to the nation's best bullpen arm.

Last season, Kerry burst onto the scene as a freshman, earning multiple Freshman All-American honors after going 4-1 and leading the team in wins, saves (7) and ERA (2.62) primarily coming out of the bullpen.

He'd make a few starts, including going over six innings in a win over Mississippi State on the final day of the regular season.

This year he could be moved to the bullpen, but he will start likely as the team's Saturday starter this week when the Gamecocks begin their season against Holy Cross.

No official rotation announcement has come from South Carolina but head coach Mark Kingston has said multiple times he expects Kerry to be the team's No. 2 starter behind first-round talent Carmen Mlodzinski.

The Gamecocks begin their season Feb. 14 with opening day starting at 4 p.m. with Saturday's game at 2 p.m. and Sunday's at noon.