For the second consecutive year, Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) has been named to the official watch list for the 2015 Johnny Bench Award presented by BaseballSavings.com, given annually to the top Division I collegiate catcher in the country by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission.
Last season, Olson earned First Team All-WAC honors after batting .320 with 15 doubles, two triples, three home runs, and 47 runs batted in. Behind the plate, he threw out 27.2 percent of would-be base stealers and picked off two other baserunners as he helped the Redhawks qualify for the WAC Baseball Tournament.
So far this season, he has been a consistent presence in the Redhawk lineup, once again throwing out 27.8 percent of would-be base stealers and committing just one error in the first 17 games of the season. He leads the team and is tied for the lead in the WAC with 12 walks.
Olson has been a mainstay behind the plate for Seattle University ever since joining the Redhawk baseball program in the fall of 2011 as a freshman. In 2012, he hit .276 with two home runs and 18 runs batted in, plus he drew 23 walks while striking out just 16 times. Defensively, he threw out 17 of 41 would-be base stealers, cutting down 41.5 percent of attempted stolen bases. He caught 33.3 percent of would-be base stealers (12-of-36) as he earned 50 hits, scored 29 runs, and collected 20 RBI during the 2013 campaign.
The Johnny Bench Award is given annually by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission to the top Division I collegiate catcher in the country. The watch list will be amended to include other candidates until May 4, and then the list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists on May 14, with three finalists chosen by a national voting panel on June 2 and the award winner announced at the 18th annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25.
Olson is one of three catchers representing the Western Athletic Conference on the official watch list, along with Jake Atkinson of Utah Valley and Robert Swenson of Chicago State. In total, 75 catchers were nominated by their schools and appear on the initial watch list for the Johnny Bench Award.
Seattle University looks to improve upon its 5-12 record when it hosts Northwestern University in a four-game series at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue, starting Thursday, March 12, at 5 p.m. The teams will play a doubleheader Friday, March 13, at 2 p.m. before concluding the series Saturday, March 14, at 12 noon.