Baylor catcher Josh Ludy has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the 2012 Johnny Bench Award, as announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission on Wednesday. The Johnny Bench Award is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate catcher as voted on by Division I coaches.

A senior from Portland, Ind., Ludy is the only semifinalist representing the Big 12 Conference and the only catcher from a team in Texas. An All-America and Big 12 Player of the Year candidate, he has started 47 of Baylor's 51 games behind the plate this season.

Ludy leads the Big 12 with 52 RBI, ranks fifth with eight home runs, ninth with a .341 batting average and 10th with 12 doubles. He has started behind the plate in all 21 Big 12 Conference games and leads the league with seven home runs and 27 RBI and ranks fifth with a .357 batting average in conference play.

Ludy became the sixth Baylor player to win multiple Big 12 Player of the Week awards in the same season when he was honored in consecutive weeks on April 16 and April 23. He had nine consecutive multi-hit games during that stretch, including the seventh three-home run game in program history and the first seven-RBI game by a Baylor player since 2004.

Ludy is Baylor's fourth Johnny Bench Award semifinalist and first since current assistant coach Zach Dillon was selected in 2006. Former Baylor backstop Kelly Shoppach won the second annual Bench Award in 2001, and Josh Ford was a semifinalist in 2003. In addition to Shoppach, J.T. Wise (Oklahoma) garnered the award in 2009.

Ballots will be sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine three finalists. The finalists will be announced on June 4, and a final vote will occur during the College World Series. The 2012 Johnny Bench Award winner will be announced at the 15th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 28.