O'Brien Named Finalist for the Johnny Bench Award
WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State baseball student-athlete Chris O'Brien has been named one of three finalists for the 2011 Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award delivered by Papa John's Pizza. O'Brien, a junior catcher from Tulsa, Okla., earned Joe Carter Missouri Valley Conference Player-of-the-Year honors. He hit .410 with 56 runs, 100 hits, 25 doubles, 10 home runs and 70 RBI. He also finished the season on a 29-game hitting streak, which ranks fifth-best in Shocker history. O'Brien was also named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy. He earned second team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball.
He becomes the first Shocker to be named as a Johnny Bench Award finalist.
The Coleman Company-Johnny Bench Award finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Jake Lowery, James Madison University;
- Chris O'Brien, Wichita State University;
- Mike Zunino, University of Florida.
A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita and Johnny Bench will present the award at the 14th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 30, 2011.
