Hansen Wins Johnny Bench Award for Nation’s Top Catcher

NORMAN — University of Oklahoma catcher Kinzie Hansen has been awarded the Johnny Bench Award for the Top College Softball Catcher, the Hall of Fame catcher and Cincinnati Reds announced the full list of Johnny Bench awards Tuesday afternoon.

Hansen, a senior with one year of eligibility, has been a force at and behind the plate for the Sooners since stepping on campus in 2020. A two-time NFCA All-American and All-Big 12 honoree, the Norco, Calif., product helped Oklahoma to its third consecutive national title in 2023, starting 42 games behind the plate after a minor injury at the start of the season.

At the plate, Hansen batted .409 with 13 home runs, seven doubles, a triple and 57 RBIs. The catcher was exceptional in the postseason, hitting the game-tying three-run home run in the seventh inning of game two of Super Regionals vs. Clemson to help send the Sooners to the Women's College World Series. At the WCWS, Hansen was named to the All-Tournament Team after batting .357 with a double, home run and four runs batted in.

Behind the plate, the All-American catcher registered 268 putouts and nine assists to just two errors for a .993 fielding percentage, allowing just six runners to steal on her while throwing out one, a product of OU's nation-leading pitching staff and defense.

The 2023 Johnny Bench Awards Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, July 18 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. For two decades, the Johnny Bench Award was presented to college baseball's top NCAA Division I catcher and in 2019 the award was expanded to include a DI college softball honoree and permanently relocated to the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

The Reds Scouting Department provides input on the baseball categories and an awards committee determines other recipients with support from local media from each state.

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