WICHITA, Kan. – Saint Joseph's sophomore catcher Blake Primrose has been selected as one of 16 semifinalists for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, the Wichita Sports Commission announced on Monday morning.
 
The award is bestowed upon the nation's top Division I collegiate catcher.  Originally known as the Johnny Bench Award, the name was changed to honor Buster Posey, who won the award in 2008.  Hawk backstops Brian O'Keefe and Deon Stafford, Jr., were previously named semifinalists for the honor in 2014 and 2016, respectively, while Andrew Cossetti was tabbed for the watch list in 2022.
 
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Primrose turned in an outstanding regular season, hitting .398 with a program-record 24 home runs in 51 games.  He leads the Hawks and the Atlantic 10 in average, home runs, runs scored, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and OPS, and also leads the team in hits, doubles, triples, walks, and runs batted in.
 
Primrose and the top-seeded Hawks open the Atlantic 10 Championship in Tysons, Virginia, on Thursday at 11:00 a.m.