March 11, 2013

OXFORD, Miss. – Junior catcher Stuart Turner was recognized by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission when he was named to the Johnny Bench Award watch list by the organization when it released the initial list of candidates on Monday.

The Johnny Bench Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate catcher and is presented by BaseballSavings.com.

Currently, Turner leads the Rebels and the Southeastern Conference with a .491 batting average and an .800 slugging percentage, while also driving in an SEC-best 27 runs through 17 games this season. That on the field production offensively has helped Ole Miss to a 16-1 start and four consecutive series sweeps to open the 2013 campaign.

Defensively, Turner has matched that offensive production with tremendous play each time out. To date, the junior has thrown out 11-of-15 base runners on steal attempts to lead the Southeastern Conference in that category. Of the four successful steal attempts against Turner, two did not see the catcher even attempt a throw.

Turner and the Rebels will return to action this week with five road games as Ole Miss will travel to face Louisiana-Monroe in a pair of midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday before opening conference play at Arkansas this weekend.