University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina's Iannetta Named to Johnny Bench Award Watch List
March 12, 2004 | Baseball
March 12, 2004
WICHITA, KAN. - North Carolina junior catcher Chris Iannetta was named to the official watch list for the 2004 Johnny Bench Award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate catcher by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. The 45-member watch list was released Thursday and can be updated to include other candidates until May 3.
This season, Iannetta ranks second among Tar Heels with a .362 batting average, two home runs and 14 runs batted in. Additionally, he has started 12 of 13 games behind the plate and has thrown out six of nine attempted base stealers. Iannetta, who his batting .467 over the last eight games, has also picked off five runners.
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists to be announced May 20. A national voting panel will then determine the three finalists, which will be announced June 3 prior to the NCAA Regionals and Major League Baseball Draft. A final vote will be conducted during the College World Series, and the three finalists will be brought to Wichita for the Seventh Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 30. The winner will be announced at this time. Stanford's Ryan Garko won the award in 2003.
Iannetta is one of three Atlantic Coast Conference catchers on the list, joining Duke's Brian Hernandez and Georgia Tech's Mike Nickeas.
