March 16, 2007

LUBBOCK, Texas - Junior Matt Smith is one of 27 catchers nationwide to be named to the official watch list for the 2007 Coleman Company - Johnny Bench Award delivered by AT&T.

Smith, a junior from McKinney, Texas, is on the Johnny Bench Award watch list for the second straight season and is widely recognized as one of the top catchers in the Big 12 Conference. Last night against Nebraska, the junior was instrumental in helping Texas Tech win its conference opener as he plated a pair of runs on his fourth double of the season. He is currently batting .259 with six home runs and 24 RBIs.

The watch list will be narrowed down to semi-finalists, whom will be announced May 17, 2007. A comprehensive biography will be created on each of the semi-finalists and sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. All three finalists will go to Wichita, Kansas where the winner will be announced at the 10th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 27, 2007.

Smith is just one of two Big 12 catchers named to the list as he joins Buck Afenir of the University of Kansas.