March 11, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina senior catcher Landon Powell has been named to the 2004 Johnny Bench Award Watch List. The award is presented annually at the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission to the nation’s top collegiate catcher, as voted on by a national voting panel.

Powell has been named to the watch list the the past two seasons including last year in which the senior from New Hill, N.C. was a semi-finalist. Powell is batting .379 on the year with three HR, six doubles and 14 RBI and currently owns a 10-game hitting streak. Powell has 141 putouts behind the plate this year as well as 20 assists without an error in the Gamecocks’ first 14 games of the 2004 campaign. Powell also has one pickoff and has caught six of 10 players attempting to steal this year. He is the career record holder at South Carolina in putouts by a catcher and has played 195 games since his freshman year in the 2001 season.

The watch list will be narrowed down to 10 semi-finalists, whom will be announced May 20, 2004. The finalists will be announced June 3, 2004 with a final vote among the national committee to occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita and the winner will be announced at the 7th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 30, 2004.