LIHU‘E — The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, has released its initial “Watch List” for the 10th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award. University of Hawai‘i senior third
LIHU‘E — The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, has released its initial “Watch List” for the 10th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award.
University of Hawai‘i senior third baseman Melissa Gonzalez and sophomore center fielder Kelly Majam were two of the 50 athletes selected. It is just the second time in program history that Hawai‘i softball players have made the list.
This award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in women’s collegiate softball, was created to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past winners of this award include UCLA’s Stacey Nuveman, Florida State’s Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee’s Monica Abbott, Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher and two-time winner Washington’s Danielle Lawrie.
The 2011 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 36 schools and 15 different NCAA Division I Conferences. Gonzalez and Majam are the Western Athletic Conference’s only representatives.
Just days before the start of postseason play, a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 11. The three finalists will be announced May 25 while the winner of the 2011 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2011 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Gonzalez, a 2010 first team NFCA All-America selection, had a breakout season last year as a junior, posting career-highs in batting average (.394), hits (81), doubles (13), home runs (25), RBIs (60) and slugging percentage (.807). She was ranked fourth nationally with 25 home runs and 17th in slugging percentage (.457) while leading UH with 25 multiple-hit games — hitting two home runs in five of those contests.
Majam, an NFCA and ESPN.com All-American and reigning WAC Freshman of the Year, had one of the best individual seasons in UH history. She finished the season as the NCAA home run leader while setting new WAC and UH single-season home run records with 30. Nationally, she finished the season ranked fifth in slugging percentage (.919), 27th in on-base percentage (.519) and 42nd in batting average (.400). Majam reached base safely in 61-of-66 games and broke the UH single-season records for runs scored (88) and walks (44).
The only other player in Hawai‘i history to make the prestigious watch list was UH All-American, Kate Robinson who was up for the award in her senior season, 2008.
