Sophomore Year 2025

Earned All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference East Division second-team … Made 17 appearances on the hill with 14 starts … Finished 8-2 with 65 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched with an ERA of 4.08 … Had one complete-game shutout to his credit … Twice this season, was named the KJCCC East Division Pitcher of the Week in weeks seven and 11 … After  taking a loss in his season debut at Amarillo (2-1-25), has won eight straight decisions … Allowed one run off three hits with two strikeouts but did not earn the decision in a 2-1 win against Crowder (2-8-25) … Got the victory after allowed zero runs and three hits with three strikeouts over three and two-thirds innings in an 18-7 victory at Pratt (2-23-25) … Allowed just one run off two hits and struck out seven over three innings but again did not got the decision in a 5-4 win at Iowa Western (2-28-25) … Allowed just one hit and zero runs with a season-high 10 strikeouts over five innings in a 10-0 win over Allen and was chosen the KJCCC East Division Pitcher of the Week (3-6-25) … Gave up three runs, one earned, with five strikeouts over four and two-thirds innings in a  22-3 win at Highland (3-13-25) … Allowed two runs off six hits with six strikeouts in a 9-3 win at Kansas City Kansas (3-27-25) … Scattered four hits with zero runs and eight strikeouts to earn a complete-game seven inning 11-0 shutout at Neosho County (4-10-25) … Picked up his second KJCCC East Division Pitcher of the Week honor following that effort … Allowed four hits, two runs, four walks and struck out three over four innings in a 8-5 win over Dodge City (4-17-25) … Made two appearances in the JUCO World Series … Allowed six hits, five runs, four earned, walked two and struck out six over four and one-third innings pitched …His six total strikeouts tie for the most recorded by a Cavaliers pitcher in World Series play and his 4.1 innings pitched tie the ninth most recorded … Suffered the loss to McLennan in the opening round after allowing three hits, three runs, two earned, a walk with four strikeouts in two and one-third innings … His four strikeouts in the game tie the seventh most recorded in team World Series history ... Selected College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® At-Large College Division … Earned NJCAA All-Academic second-team with a GPA of between 3.80.3.99.

Freshman Year 2024 

Appeared in 17 games, eight a starter … Had a 5-0 record with 42 strikeouts over 47 and one-third innings with an earned run average of 5.89 … Made his Cavaliers debut as a the starter in the second game at Amarillo, allowing four runs, two earned, off four hits with five strikeouts over three innings but did not way in the decision in the 7-6 loss (2-3-24) … Did not allow a hit or run and struck out three batters over two innings of relief in a 14-0 win over Southwestern (2-19-24) … Allowed just one hit over three innings with four strikeouts in an 8-0 victory over Moberly Area (2-25-24) … Logged two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts in a 7-2 victory over Neosho County (3-10-24) … Followed by earning three wins over his next three appearances, first coming in a 15-6 win at Fort Scott to open the four-game series with the Greyhounds (3-14-24) … Closed out the series pitching the final one and one-third innings, allowing just a single and no runs in a 7-6 win (3-16-24) … Earned the start against Baker JV and allowed just two hits, no runs and struck out a season high six batter over three innings for the victory in 16-2 win (3-23-24) … Improved to 4-0 after allowing three runs off five hits and three strikeouts in a 15-4 win at Allen (4-13-24) … Notched his fifth win against Labette allowing four runs off five hits while strikeout out four over four innings in a 14-4 victory (4-20-24) … Had a solid no decision effort against Kansas City Kansas in the final series of the regular season, allowing just two runs off three this with four strikeouts over four innings in an eventual 3-2 win for the Cavaliers (5-4-24).

Freshman Year 2023 at Nebraska 

Redshirted the 2023 season at the University of Nebraska … Nebraska Scholar-Athlete honor roll fall 2022 … Tom Osborne Citizenship Team in 2023.

High School  

Was a two-year starter and three-year letter winner for coach Steve Frey at Millard West High School, Omaha, Neb. … Graduated 2023 … Ranked the No. 10 overall prospect in the state of Nebraska and No. 6 right-handed pitcher in the state according to Perfect Game … Also, a top-500 national prospect by Perfect Game … Selected All-State second-team as a senior … Helped the Wildcats to state runner-up finish as a junior and to capture the state championship in senior season … Totaled an 11-2 record with a 2.42 ERA and 94 strikeouts in two seasons at the varsity level … Had a 5-0 record with a 2.97 ERA in seven appearances as a senior … Recorded 39 strikeouts in 30.2 innings … Tallied a 6-2 mark in nine appearances in junior season … Struck out 55 hitters in 47.1 innings in 2021 … Also played for the Midsouth Prospects, where he was named to five all-tournament teams and was a Preseason Underclass All-American.

Personal  

Born Sam Novotny on November 16, 2003, in Kirkland, Wash. … Nickname is Ralf … Son of Trevor and Peggy Novotny …. Has one sister, Revonna, and five brothers, Jacob, Caleb, Gunner, Tucker and Gideon … Majoring in business administration … Also recruited by Creighton University … Favorite food is taco salad … Favorite fast food restaurant is Chipotle … Favorite restaurant is Cheddar's … Favorite TV show is Breaking Bad … Favorite movie is Gladiator … Favorite sports movies are The Sandlot, Moneyball and The Blindside … Favorite actor is Leonardo DiCaprio … Favorite book is Mental ABCs of Pitching … Favorite music entertainers are Morgan Wallen and Willie Nelson … Favorite cartoon character is Wile E. Coyote … Favorite athlete is Felix Hernandez … Favorite sports team is the Seattle Mariners … Best athletic moment was winning a state championship … Best player he played against is Nebraska Cornhuskers infielder Max Anderson … Notable alumni from his school are NFL defensive lineman Harrison Phillips and former NFL linebacker Matt Longacre.