Wise Named to Johnny Bench List

May 4, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. -- OU senior J.T. Wise was one of six catchers added to the official watch list for the 2009 Coleman Company - Johnny Bench Award by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission.

The award has been given out since 2000 to the nation's top catcher. Johnny Bench presented Florida State catcher, Buster Posey, with the award last June in Wichita, Kansas.

Wise has proven to be one of the best catchers both offensively and defensively in the Big 12 Conference and the country in 2009.

He currently leads the Big 12 in batting average (.392), homers (15) and slugging pct. (.745) and ranks in the top 10 in RBIs (47), total bases (114) and on-base percentage (.448). In addition, he has thrown out over 50 percent of potential base runners this year and committed just two errors, good for a .994 fielding percentage.

The Apopka, Fla., native is one of two Big 12 catchers on the list, joining Buck Afenir from Kansas. The conference has one Johnny Bench Award winner after Kelly Shoppach (Baylor), now with the Cleveland Indians, won the accolade in 2001.

The watch list will be narrowed down to ten semifinalists, whom will be announced May 14, 2009. Statistics will be compiled on each of the semifinalists and sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists.

The finalists will be announced June 3, 2009 prior to the NCAA Super Regionals and Major League Baseball Draft. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita and the winner will be announced at the 12th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 26, 2009.

2009 Coleman Company - Johnny Bench Award
delivered by Papa John's Pizza Watch List

Buck Afenir SR, University of Kansas
Billy Alvino SR, High Point University
Jeff Arnold JR, University of Louisville
Jared Avchen JR, East Carolina University
Brett Basham SR, University of Mississippi
Matt Behren SR, University of Northern Illinois
Dan Benedetti SR, St. John's University
Griffin Benedict SR, Georgia Southern University
Dan Burkhart SO, Ohio State University
Tony Caldwell SO, Auburn University
Ryan Cisterna SR, University of Arkansas
Nick Criaris SR, Florida Atlantic Universiity
David Doss SR, University of South Alabama
Aaron Dudley JR, The University of Toledo
Scott Dunwoody SR, University of Dayton
Jeffrey Farnham SR, New Mexico State University
Mark Fleury JR, University of North Carolina
Stephen Flora SR, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
Blake Forsyth SO, University of Tennessee
Taylor Freeman JR, McNeese State
Micah Gibbs SO, Louisiana State University
Andrew Giobbi JR, Vanderbilt University
Jason Haniger SR, Georgia Tech
Chris Henderson JR, George Mason University
Bryan Holaday JR, Texas Christian University
Errol Hollinger SR, Liberty University
Aaron Johnson JR, University of Illinois
Richard Jones JR, The Citadel
Mark Kelly SR, Southern Illinois University
Reid Kraiser SR, UNC Asheville
Greg Lagreid SR, Washington State University
Ryan Lipkin JR, University of San Francisco
Myckie Lugbauer JR, Univesity of Maine
Tommy Medica JR, Santa Clara University
Marc Mimeault SR, Georgia State University
Mike Murray JR, Wake Forest University
John Murrian JR, Winthrop University
Rafael Neda SO, University of New Mexico
Jeff Nolet, SR, University of Vermont
Bryce Nugent SO, Marist College
Joe Oliveira SR, University of the Pacific
Ryan Ortiz JR, Oregon State University
John Parham SR, Cal State Northridge
Josh Phegley JR, Indiana Univeristy
Brandon Romans SR, University of Central Florida
Tony Sanchez JR, Boston College
Jeremy Schaffer FR, Tulane University
Tobias Streich SO, West Virginia University
Dallas Tarleton SR, Elon University
Michael Thomas JR, Southern University
John Turk JR, The University of Akron
Matt Williams SR, Duke University
J.T. Wise SR, University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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