WICHITA Kan.
Mississippi State junior catcher Edward Easley has been named recipient of the 2007 Coleman Company Johnny Bench Award as the nations top collegiate catcher.
Bench, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame catcher, presented the award to Easley on Wednesday at the 10th annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet.
Easley becomes the third Southeastern Conference player to win the award since it was first presented in 2000.
“This is like a dream come true … something I’ll cherish forever,” said Easley. “Just to be among the finalists with the other great college catchers and their impressive resumes is a tremendous honor.”
Easley, from Olive Branch, Miss., and a supplemental first round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks, was one of three finalists for the award, joining Florida State’s Buster Posey and Georgia Tech’s Matt Wieters in the final round of voting.
He helped the Bulldogs to a 38-22 record, a 5-0 run in the NCAA regionals and super regionals and the school’s eighth appearance in the NCAA College World Series.
