CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced the watch list for the 2016 Johnny Bench Award, including Illinois catcher Jason Goldstein. Goldstein currently leads the Fighting Illini in hitting after an All-Big Ten season in 2015.

The Johnny Bench Award is presented to the top Division I catcher in the nation. The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists May 18. Finalists will be announced June 6 and all finalists will be brought to Wichita, Kansas for the 19th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet June 30.

Goldstein, a senior from Highland Park, Illinois, is batting .421 (16-38) with three doubles and a team-best seven RBI after nine games of the 2016 season. He also calls pitches for the Illini staff that owns a 2.62 ERA and set a program-record for ERA in 2015 (2.87).

The Illini travel to Conway, South Carolina, this weekend for two games against UNC Greensboro and two games against Coastal Carolina.