Southern Illinois University junior catcher Mark Kelly (Glens Falls '07) has been named to the "Watch List" for the 2008 Coleman Company Johnny Bench Award. The award is presented by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission to the top Division I catcher.

Last spring, Kelly was a first-team all-conference and first-team all-region selection for the Salukis. Kelly led the team in batting average (.379), hits (88), runs batted in (63), total bases (107) and slugging percentage (.461). He racked up a team-high 26 multi-hit and 17 multi-RBI games, amassed a 21-game hitting streak from Feb. 17 through Mar. 25 and was the only Saluki to play in all 56 games. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week on March 5, 2007 and he was a two-time selection to the College Baseball Foundation's National Honor Roll. Kelly is also mentioned on the "Watch List" for the 2008 Brooks Wallace Award.

The Hanover Park, Ill., native played 11 games for the 2007 Eastern Division champion Glens Falls Golden Eagles last summer. But, in those games, he scored seven runs, smashed one home run and drove in three.

The 2008 Johnny Bench Award "Watch List" consists of 36 catchers from 22 Division-I conferences. The initial list of 36 will be narrowed down to a group of semifinalists on May 14, 2008. Past winners of the Johnny Bench award include Kurt Suzuki, Ryan Garko, Jeremy Brown and Kelly Shoppach.