VANCOUVER – UBC Thunderbirds closer Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) has been recognized as one of the top pitchers in the NAIA for the 2014-15 season.
 
The second-year player has earned a place on the NAIA Baseball All-America Honourable Mention team. Taylor was one of 34 players who garnered the recognition. The First and Second Teams, selected by the NAIA-Baseball Coaches Association All-America Committee, had 17 individuals each. Ty Abbott of Georgia Gwinnett was named the National Player of the Year.
 
"It's a great honour to follow in the footsteps of a player like Conor, who won the award last year. The support of my teammates and coaching staff was invaluable and I'm very grateful for the recognition," said Taylor.

This season, Taylor (4-2) had a team-best earned-run average of 1.02 and ranked fifth overall in the NAIA with 12 saves. He pitched 53 innings, giving up just 27 hits and six earned runs. Taylor struck out 51 batters and walked just 13.
 
Opponents batted just .153 against the graduate of Port Coquitlam's Terry Fox Secondary School and he won both starts he made this year. He was the lone relief pitcher named to the All-NAIA West team.
 
"Curtis had a very dominating year on the mound," said UBC head coach Terry McKaig. "He nailed down a lot of big wins for us by being such a versatile guy we could use in different roles at the end of games."

In the NAIA West Grouping Championships, Taylor was spectacular, earning two wins and a save in three appearances over four days. In the second grouping championship game, he threw four scoreless innings in relief to propel UBC to the league title.
 
This is the second straight year a UBC pitcher (Conor Lillis-White in 2014) has earned All-America honourable mention recognition.