WICHITA, Kan. — San Diego baseball's Ariel Armas was named as one of just 16 semifinalists for the 2024 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, the Wichita Sports Commission announced on Wednesday afternoon. The National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award honors the nation's top Division I collegiate catcher as voted on by head coaches and sports information directors.

Nominations for 2024 included 69 individual athletes, 67 schools, and 25 different Division I Conferences. 

Armas — who is San Diego's first Buster Posey Award Semifinalist since 2022 (Caleb Ricketts) — earned his first career All-WCC First Team selection and WCC Defensive Player of the Year honor this spring after setting forth a junior campaign that saw him shine on both sides of the ball, providing elite defense behind the plate while batting .301 (52-for-173) with 32 runs scored, six doubles, six home runs, 25 runs batted in, 23 walks, six hit by pitches, a .439 slugging percentage, and a .399 on-base percentage.

He was the first Torero to be named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year since the award was introduced in 2008.

Armas started 49 of the Toreros' 50 games at catcher in 2024, posting a .998 fielding percentage while throwing out 13 would-be base stealers and leading the nation with 17.64 Defensive Runs Saved, 3.45 more runs saved than the next closest player.

The Chula Vista, California native's numbers were even more robust in WCC Play, as he batted .364 (32-for-88) with 19 runs scored, three doubles, four home runs, 16 runs batted in, 15 walks, two hit by pitches, a .534 slugging percentage, and a .462 slugging percentage.

Armas was previously named an All-WCC Honorable Mention in 2023.

After clinching the outright 2024 WCC Regular-Season Championship on May 12, San Diego (37-13, 20-4 WCC) has secured the top seed and a first-round BYE in the 2024 WCC Tournament at Las Vegas Ballpark, and will begin play in the event this Thursday, May 23 at 3:00 p.m. PST. The Toreros will begin play in the event by taking on the lowest advancing seed from Wednesday's opening round.

The tournament bracket, ticketing information, and streaming information for the event are available here.