FloridaGatorforLife
VIP Member
Gainesville, FL University of Florida junior All-Americans Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and Kim Waleszonia (Fontana, Calif.) have been named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List. The Amateur Softball Association (ASA), announced its top 50 list on Wednesday.
Nelson led the Gator pitching staff with a 0.95 ERA in 2007, earning her second team NFCA/Louisville Slugger and first team Easton All-America honors. She was also named second-team All-SEC. Nelson set or tied school single season records in nine different categories, including wins (34), strikeouts (285) and complete games (37). In addition to her pitching talents, Nelson also fields her position well and is the only pitcher in school history to rank in Florida's career top 20 list for fielding percentage.
Waleszonia, a third team NFCA/Louisville Slugger and second team Easton All-America selection provides an offensive spark for the Gators. In 2007, she led the team in six different categories. She set school records for season hits (88), triples (5) and stolen bases (24). She is the Florida record holder for career batting average (.338). A versatile player, Waleszonia has played both right field and second base for the Gators in her two seasons.
Nelson and Waleszonia are just two of 10 Southeastern Conference players named to the top 50 list. Florida is one of 12 schools to have multiple players named to the list.
2008 marks the seventh year ASA, the national governing body of softball, will name the USA Softball Player of the Year. The award is one of the most prestigious in collegiate softball and recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Previous winners include current national team members Stacy Nuveman (UCLA), three-time winner Cat Osterman (Texas) and Monica Abbott (Tennessee), the first SEC athlete to win the award.
The ASA will announce the 25 finalists on April 9. A player does not have to appear on the initial watch list to be considered as a Top 25 finalist, but once the Top 25 is named the remaining finalist must be selected from that list. Just days before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 7. The final three finalists will be announced May 21 while the winner of the 2008 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2008 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
http://gatorzone.com/story.php?id=13287&html=softball/news/20080131095100.html&sport=softb
