Top 50 "Watch List" For 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
Top 50 "Watch List" For 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
USA/ASA Top 50 "Watch List" For 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year released
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Florida's Aleshia Ocasio and Auburn's Kasey Cooper, two finalists for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, join 48 other student-athletes on the "Watch List" for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. Announced today by USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award enters its 16th season and recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players across the country.
Previous recipients of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA Division I Softball, are UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman (2002), Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Florida State pitcher Jessica Van der Linden (2004), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007), Virginia Tech pitcher Angela Tincher (2008), Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie (2009 and 2010), Stanford shortstop Ashley Hansen (2011), Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013), Florida State's Lacey Waldrop (2014), Florida's Lauren Haeger (2015) and Michigan's Sierra Romero (2016).
The pre-season "Watch List" includes 26 seniors, 18 juniors and 6 sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration. (Freshman can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level). Athletes named to the "Watch List" represent 37 NCAA Division I universities and 13 athletic conferences. Arizona, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Oklahoma lead the way among universities with three athlete representatives each, while LSU, Michigan and Oregon have two athletes apiece on the "Watch List". The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is well-represented among the Top 50 "Watch List" with 12 member-schools while nine universities from the Pac-12 Conference also highlight the list.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 12. While an athlete does not have to be on the "Watch List" to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 10 and the Top 3 announced May 24. The 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 30.
In addition to bestowing the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, USA Softball is now in its 15th season of presenting the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll and the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week, which are announced Tuesdays during the regular season. The pre-season ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll was released Jan. 31 with Oklahoma, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and LSU taking the Top 5 spots respectively.
Name | University | Position | Year |
---|---|---|---|
Ali Aguilar | Washington | Infield | Senior |
Kelly Barnhill | Florida | Pitcher | Sophomore |
Alex Bayne | Ohio State | Outfield | Senior |
Megan Betsa | Michigan | Pitcher | Senior |
Tera Blanco | Michigan | Infield | Junior |
Kacie Burnett | Idaho State | Outfield | Senior |
Jessica Burroughs | Florida State | Pitcher | Senior |
Kaylee Carlson | Auburn | Pitcher | Junior |
Kasey Cooper | Auburn | Infield | Senior |
Aleah Craighton | Louisiana | Outfield | Junior |
Ivie Drake | Georgia State | Catcher | Junior |
Cortni Emanuel | Georgia | Outfield | Junior |
Hannah Flippen | Utah | Infield | Senior |
Taty Forbes | Coastal Carolina | Outfield | Sophomore |
Megan Geer | Tennessee | Outfield | Senior |
Taylor Glover | CSUN | Outfield | Senior |
Megan Good | James Madison | Pitcher | Junior |
Delanie Gourley | Florida | Pitcher | Senior |
Sara Groenewegen | Minnesota | Pitcher | Senior |
Kylee Hanson | FAU | Pitcher | Senior |
Carley Hoover | LSU | Pitcher | Senior |
Sierra Hyland | Cal Poly | Pitcher | Senior |
Jazmyn Jackson | California | Outfield | Junior |
Sahvanna Jaquish | LSU | Catcher | Senior |
MJ Knighten | Nebraska | Infield | Senior |
Shay Knighten | Oklahoma | Infield | Sophomore |
Jenna Lilley | Oregon | Infield | Junior |
Makayla Martin | Auburn | Pitcher | Sophomore |
Katiyana Mauga | Arizona | Infield | Senior |
Sandra Mendoza | UT Arlington | Infield | Junior |
Keeli Milligan | Texas A&M | Outfield | Sophomore |
Aleshia Ocasio | Florida | Pitcher | Junior |
Alexis Osorio | Alabama | Pitcher | Junior |
Danielle O'Toole | Arizona | Pitcher | Senior |
Paige Parker | Oklahoma | Pitcher | Junior |
Jenavee Peres | San Diego State | Catcher | Junior |
Mandie Perez | Arizona | Outfield | Senior |
Erika Piancastelli | McNeese State | Catcher | Junior |
Alex Powers | Florida State | Infield | Senior |
Rochelle Roberts | ULM | Outfield | Senior |
Sydney Romero | Oklahoma | Infield | Sophomore |
Randi Rupp | Texas State | Pitcher | Junior |
Vanessa Shippy | Oklahoma State | Infield | Junior |
Delaney Spaulding | UCLA | Infield | Senior |
Stephanie Texiera | FIU | Infield | Senior |
Nikki Udria | Oregon | Infield | Senior |
Jessica Warren | Florida State | Infield | Junior |
Juli Weber | USF | Outfield | Senior |
Karley Wester | Notre Dame | Outfield | Senior |
Morgan Zerkle | Marshall | Outfield | Senior |
Previous recipients of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA Division I Softball, are UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman (2002), Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Florida State pitcher Jessica Van der Linden (2004), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007), Virginia Tech pitcher Angela Tincher (2008), Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie (2009 and 2010), Stanford shortstop Ashley Hansen (2011), Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013), Florida State's Lacey Waldrop (2014), Florida's Lauren Haeger (2015) and Michigan's Sierra Romero (2016).
The pre-season "Watch List" includes 26 seniors, 18 juniors and 6 sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration. (Freshman can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level). Athletes named to the "Watch List" represent 37 NCAA Division I universities and 13 athletic conferences. Arizona, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Oklahoma lead the way among universities with three athlete representatives each, while LSU, Michigan and Oregon have two athletes apiece on the "Watch List". The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is well-represented among the Top 50 "Watch List" with 12 member-schools while nine universities from the Pac-12 Conference also highlight the list.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 12. While an athlete does not have to be on the "Watch List" to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 10 and the Top 3 announced May 24. The 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 30.
In addition to bestowing the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, USA Softball is now in its 15th season of presenting the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll and the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week, which are announced Tuesdays during the regular season. The pre-season ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll was released Jan. 31 with Oklahoma, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and LSU taking the Top 5 spots respectively.
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