May 7, 2008
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. ---The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, announced today the top ten finalists for the 7th Annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, including two Sun Devils, Katie Burkhart and Kaitlin Cochran. An initial "Watch List" was released on January 30 and the list of 25 finalists was announced on April 9. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, in its seventh year, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by NCAA Division I collegiate softball players across the country.
The ten finalists for the 7th Annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award consist of five seniors, three juniors, one sophomore and one freshman. Six conferences are represented on the list.
Top Ten Finalists listed in alphabetical order, are:
Katie Burkhart (Arizona State) - Senior- Pitcher - San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Tonya Callahan (Tennessee) - Senior - Infield - Holden, Mo.
Kaitlin Cochran (Arizona State) - Junior - Outfielder - Yorba Linda, Calif.
Megan Gibson (Texas A&M) - Senior - Pitcher/First Base - Spring, Texas
Charlotte Morgan (Alabama) - Sophomore - Pitcher/Utility - Moreno Valley, Calif.
Stacey Nelson (Florida) - Junior - Pitcher - Los Alamitos, Calif.
Angel Shamblin (Houston) - Senior - Pitcher/Utility - Davie, Fla.
Jordan Taylor (Michigan) - Freshman - Pitcher - Valencia, Calif.
Angela Tincher (Virginia Tech) - Senior - Pitcher - Eagle Rock, Va.
Tammy Williams (Northwestern) - Junior - Infield - Roscoe, Mo.
On May 21 the list will be cut to three and those final three players will travel to Oklahoma City for the announcement of the winner of the 7th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award. The announcement will take place during the `WCWS Party at the Park' on Tuesday, May 27 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
A replica of the award will be placed in a permanent display in the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, along with photos of the winner. An additional replica of the award will be presented to the player's academic institution during an athletic event in the fall.
Tennessee's Monica Abbott took home the 2007 award before leading her team to the Women's College World Series best-of-three final series. Past winners of the award include Stacey Nuveman (UCLA-2002), Osterman (Texas-2003, 2005, 2006) and Jessica Van der Linden (Florida State-2004).