Wright Named To Bench Watch List
April 13, 2010 | Baseball
April 13, 2010
WICHITA, Kansas - East Carolina's Zach Wright has been named to the official watch list for the 2010 Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award delivered by Papa John's Pizza the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced Monday evening. The Bench Award, which is given annually to the nations top division one collegiate catcher, will be updated to include other candidates until May 5, 2010.
Wright has started 16 of his 24 games played behind the plate in 2010 where he leads the team with nine home runs and 35 RBI, while ranking third in batting average (.345). The sophomore, who has also played six games in left field, established a new school-record for grand slams in a single-season in the third inning against Elon on Mar. 30. Prior to that, Wright also hit grand slams against N.C. A&T (3/24) and N.C. Central (3/26) - hitting three in a span of five games (Mar. 24-30).
A native of Goldsboro, N.C., Wright is the fourth catcher since 2006 to be named to the prestigious award watch list following 2006 Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award winner Jake Smith, 2008 semi-finalist Corey Kemp and two-time watch list nominee Jared Avchen (2009-10).
The watch list will be narrowed down to ten semifinalists, whom will be announced May 19, 2010. Ballots will be 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 2, 2010 prior to the NCAA 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 13th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on July 1, 2010.
