SEASIDE, Calif. - Cal State Monterey Bay junior James Starkus has been named the NCBWA West Region Player of the Week the organization announced Tuesday.

Starkus, who was named the CCAA Player of the Week yesterday, hit .692 (9-for-13) with three doubles, two home runs, and drove in 11 runs to lead the Otters to a 3-1 series win over Azusa Pacific. The designated hitter from Las Vegas recorded a hit in all four games while scoring six runs. 

In the series opener, Starkus went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs, and six RBI as the Otters overcame an early 7-0 deficit to win 10-7.
 
In the next game, he went 3-for-3 with two doubles, five RBI, and two runs scored. He also reached base safely in all three of his plate appearances in game three, as he had a hit and walked twice. 

Through two series, Starkus is hitting an incredible .640 (second in the CCAA), and he leads the conference with 16 RBI. 

This is the first career CCAA Player of the Week for Starkus and the first for CSUMB in 2026. 

Monterey Bay will stay at home this week, and it will welcome in the defending West Region champions, Northwest Nazarene, for a four-game set starting on Thursday, Feb. 12.