May 18, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky catcher John Wilson has been named to the All-SEC Second Team,announced today by the league offices. Vanderbilt University senior thirdbaseman Hunter Bledsoe was selected as the 1999 SEC Baseball Player of theYear and Arkansas head coach Norm DeBriyn was voted the SEC Coach of the Year.

Wilson led UK and the conference with 23 home runs on the season. TheNorthridge, Calif., native tied current Chicago White Sox outfielder JeffAbbott in UK’s record books for most home runs on the season. The sophomoreled almost all offensive categories for the Wildcats during the 1999campaign. Wilson topped the team in slugging percentage, runs scored, hits,RBI, doubles, triples, and total bases. Wilson also ranked atop the SEC totals on the season for total bases with170 and was second to Alabama’s Andy Phillips with a .776 sluggingpercentage.

“I think it is quite an honor for John to be named to the team,” saidCoach Keith Madison. “John is one of our hardest workers and deserves to berecognized for his abilities and his work ethic.”

The first-year catcher and clean-up hitter belted three home runs in onegame against Georgia and is largely responsible for the Wildcats’ strongSEC finish and berth to the SEC Tournament. Kentucky faces No. 1 seedArkansas in the opening round of the tournament on Wed., May 19, at 8:30 p.m.