May 15, 2002
Wichita, Kan. - Stanford junior catcher Ryan Garko (Walnut, CA/Servite HS) has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the third annual Johnny Bench Award, announced the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. The award will honor the nation's top collegiate catcher as voted on by a panel of sportswriters, sportscasters, Division I Coaches and scouts, and will be announced at the Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25, 2002.
Garko leads Stanford and ranks tied for fifth in the Pac-10 with 12 home runs through 50 games this season. Garko also leads the club with 55 runs scored (#2 Pac-10), 32 bases on balls (#4 Pac-10) and 314 putouts. He is hitting .319 and has started each of the team's 50 games, including 46 behind the plate.
Last year, Garko led the club with a .368 batting average, while adding seven homers and 43 RBI to earn the team's Most Improved Player award. He also earned All-College World Series honors and was named the Co-Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Regional.
No. 7 Stanford (35-15, 11-7 Pac-10) will visit UCLA in a key three-game series this Friday-Sunday, April 19-21 (6 pm, 1 pm, 1 pm, PDT). The Cardinal currently sits in a second-place tie with Washington in the conference standings, 2.0 games behind first place USC (13-5 Pac-10) with six conference games remaining.