WICHITA, Kan. – VMI catcher Matt Winn has been named a semifinalist for this year's Johnny Bench Award presented by Baseballsavings.com, according to information announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission on Thursday afternoon.

It is the second time in three years Winn has advanced to the second round in the award's proceedings, as the watch list of nearly 80 Division I catchers was pared to 20. Winn is the only SoCon catcher and the only catcher in the state of Virginia to be named a semifinalist.

Winn enters Thursday's opener with Western Carolina hitting .318 with 13 home runs, a long-ball total that ranks him in a tie for second among catchers in Division I. Winn's on-base plus slugging (OPS) stands at 1.000 and he is in the top 20 in Division I in caught stealing percentage as well, having nabbed 20 of 54 runners trying to steal.

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, 2015. 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 18th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25, 2015.