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ASA/USA Softball announces Top 3 Finalists for 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today the Top 3 Finalists for the 14th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Florida's Lauren Haeger (Peoria, Ariz.), Oregon's Cheridan Hawkins (Anderson, Calif.) and Michigan’s Sierra Romero (Murrieta, Calif.) are the three remaining athletes in the running.
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Past winners of this award include UCLA’s Stacey Nuveman, Florida State’s Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner from Texas Cat Osterman, Tennessee’s Monica Abbott, Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher, two-time winner Washington’s Danielle Lawrie, Stanford’s Ashley Hansen, back-to-back winner Oklahoma’s Keilani Ricketts and 2014 winner Lacey Waldrop from Florida State.
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The 2015 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Pitcher of the Year, Lauren Haeger, through regional play, has amassed a 26-1 record, a 1.34 ERA and 183 strikeouts in the circle. If that wasn’t enough, the senior also holds a .335 batting average, .653 slugging percentage and .474 on-base percentage. Haeger was voted SEC Pitcher of the Week three times this season and was the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week in week two. No. 1 Florida will face Kentucky in this week’s Super Regional’s for a spot in the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), which will be held in Oklahoma City May 28-June 3.
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Back-to-back Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, Cheridan Hawkins boasts a 29-3 record, a 1.40 ERA and 249 strikeouts through regional play. Ranked in the Top 10 in the nation in wins, shutouts and saves, Hawkins was also named First Team All-Pac 12 and leads the conference in wins, ERA and opposing batting average. No. 2 Oregon will vie with NC State this week in the Eugene Super Regional with the winner earning a spot in the NCAA WCWS.
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A two-time Big 10 Player of the Year, Sierra Romero ranks in the Top 10 with a .474 batting average, a .628 on-base percentage 78 RBI and a .987 slugging percentage while slugging out 21 home runs. A three-time unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team, Romero was also named the 2015 espnW Player of the Year and established a new NCAA record for career grand slams. Behind their junior slugger, the No. 3 Wolverines won their eighth straight Big 10 regular season title and will face No. 16 Georgia in this week's Super Regional's with the winner heading to the NCAA WCWS.
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The winner of the 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced on May 26 at the team only banquet just prior to the start of the NCAA WCWS.
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The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award is voted on by coaching representatives from 10 Division I Conferences in the 15 ASA Regions, members of the media who consistently cover Division I Softball across the country as well as past winners of the award.
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About ASA/USA SoftballÂ
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 74 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 million. ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com/.
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About the NCAA Women’s College World Series
The ASA Hall of Fame Stadium serves as the home to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS). For the 25th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and complete for a National Championship title. Last year, nearly 70,000 fans attended the WCWS. Experience It Live May 28 to June 3 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2015 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here to purchase your tickets and make a date with champions!
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Codi Warren
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Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications
Amateur Softball Association of America/USA Softball
Office 405.425.3431 | Cell 405. 420. 2817
