Courtesy of GoXavier.com
WICHITA, Kansas – Senior catcher Dan Rizzie has been named to the 2016 Johnny Bench Award Watch List for a third straight year, joining 15 other catchers that were named to the list by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission on Wednesday.
The award is presented annually to the top catcher at the NCAA Division I level.
An Orland Park, Ill. native, Rizzie was a 2016 preseason All-BIG EAST selection – even after missing most of the 2015 season to injury. He currently sits third in the BIG EAST with eight home runs and leads XU in hits (49), multi-hit games (15) and batting average (.280).
A defensive standout as well, Rizzie has thrown out 16 of 27 (59.3%) potential base stealers this season.
In total, 101 Division I catchers are under consideration for the award.
Rizzie played a critical run in Xavier’s postseason run in 2014, earning a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team after collecting two hits and an RBI in the Musketeers’ win over Creighton in the conference championship game. During XU’s three-game appearance at the NCAA Tournament Nashville Regional, Rizzie went 5-for-12 at the plate, knocking in five runs and scoring three more to earn a spot on the 2014 Nashville Regional All-Tournament Team.
The watch list will be narrowed down to a list of semifinalists on May 18. Ballots will then be sent to a national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. The finalists will be announced June 6.
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 19th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 30, 2016.
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