College Notebook

Duke catcher Perez on Johnny Bench Award watch list

DURHAM Duke junior Cris Perez has been named to the 2016 Johnny Bench Award watch list as announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. The prestigious award is given annually to the nation’s top NCAA Division I catcher.

This past season, Perez hit .241 with 10 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 34 RBI.

The Miami native is one of 74 catchers on the initial watch list and one of nine ACC catchers acknowledged. The ACC’s representatives include Wake Forest’s Ben Breazeale, Notre Dame’s Ryan Lidge, Clemson’s Chris Okey, Georgia Tech’s Arden Pabst, Duke’s Perez, Florida State’s Cal Raleigh, Boston College’s Nick Sciortino, Louisville’s Will Smith and Virginia’s Matt Thaiss.

NC State: The Wolfpack completed its first shutout of the season, sweeping the midweek from Fairfield with a 4-0 win on Wednesday at Doak Field at Dail Park.

Duke: Trailing by five midway through the second half, the 15th-ranked Blue Devils put together a late rally but fell just short in a 10-9 loss to Georgetown Wednesday at Koskinen Stadium. The team tallied the game’s final four goals but ran out of time, slipping to 4-4 on the season.

Duke: Incoming freshman Ella Stevens has been selected as one of 26 players that will head to northern California for a U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team training March 12-19. Stevens, who hails from Grayson, Ga., is the No. 11 overall recruit in the class of 2016 and was the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior. The 5-6 midfielder entered her senior campaign with 48 goals and 72 assists in three years.

NC State: The Wolfpackwill have 16 swimmers represent the team at the 2016 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship at Georgia Tech March 23-26. This marks the highest number of swimmers to receive invitations since Braden Holloway and his staff took over in 2011.

UNC: Eight swimmers and two divers are headed to the 2016 NCAA Division I Championships.

Duke: A men’s relay tem will be sent to the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships for a second-straight year. In addition, junior Peter Kropp will represent the Blue Devils individually for the second consecutive season, garnering an official invitation in the 100-yard breaststroke.

NC State: The Wolfpack ranks No. 31 in the latest national poll, as announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Tuesday afternoon. This is the team’s highest ranking in three seasons, a 24 spot improvement from its previous position in the poll at No. 55, as the Pack is one of 11 ACC programs to earn a Top-50 ranking this week.

Shaw: The women’s tennis team extended its win streak to seven with the Lady Bears, 6-1, win over Bluefield College Wednesday afternoon at Lions Park.

Shaw: Daniel Ac and Diego Choque both contributed a point each on Wednesday as the Shaw men’s tennis team edged Bluefield College, 5-4, at Lions Park for a non-conference contest.

St. Augustine’s: The 2002 Saint Augustine’s University women’s outdoor track and field team was highlighted recently by the NCAA. The Lady Falcons’ dramatic Division II national championship victory over North Dakota State University ranked among the top 35 memorable moments at finals sites in NCAA collegiate women’s sports history.

Duke: Seven Blue Devils will travel to Birmingham, Ala., to compete in the 2016 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships March 11-12 at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Making the trip will be senior Megan Clark in the women’s pole vault, redshirt senior Karli Johonnot in the pentathlon, senior Anima Banks in the women’s 800 and the distance medley relay team of Banks, junior Madeline Kopp, sophomore Maddy Price and freshman Kim Hallowes, with senior Olivia Anderson serving as the alternate.

Mount Olive: Jennifer Charles has been named head women’s volleyball coach . Charles will also serve as assistant coach for the Trojan men’s volleyball team.

From news releases

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 6:30 PM with the headline "College Notebook."