OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Fresno State's Haley Perkins and Morgan Melloh, and Nevada's Noelle Micka have been named to the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) Watch List for the eighth Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award.
The award is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past winners include UCLA's Stacey Nuveman, Florida State's Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee's Monica Abbott and Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher.
The 2009 Preseason Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 32 schools and 13 different NCAA Division I Conferences. Fresno State is one of 10 schools to have two student-athletes on the list, while four schools placed three studemt-athletes on the list.
Melloh, the 2008 WAC Freshman and Pitcher of the Year, was a first team Easton All-American and a second team NFCA All-American. She was also selected by the WAC Coaches as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
A two-time all-WAC honoree, Perkins earned Preseason All-WAC honors this season for the third time in her career. She has excelled both on and off the field, earning ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII honors on two occasions.
Micka became Nevada's first-ever All-American last year when she was named second team by the NFCA last year as a freshman. She led the WAC in batting average, hit and doubles and set five Nevada single season records.
On May 6, just days before the start of postseason play, a list of 10 finalists will be named and released. Three finalists will be announced May 20, while the winner will be announced prior to the start of the 2009 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The 50 players on the watch list are listed below.
2009 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List
Valerie Arioto (California) - Sophomore - Utility - Pleasanton, Calif.
Brandice Balschmiter (Massachusetts) - Senior - Pitcher - Newark, N.Y.
Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi State) - Junior - Catcher/Infield - Cordova, Tenn.
Ashley Brignac (Louisiana-Lafayette) - Sophomore - Pitcher - River Ridge, La.
Neena Bryant (Oregon) - Outfield - Junior - Placentia, Calif.
Ashley Charters (Washington) - Senior - Infield- Beaverton, Ore.
Kaitlin Cochran (Arizona State) - Senior- Outfield - Yorba Linda, Calif.
Lauren Delaney (Northwestern) - Junior - Pitcher - Jefferson City, Mo.
GiOnna DiSalvatore (UCLA) - Sophomore - Utility - Palm Harbor, Fla.
Krista Donnenwirth (Arizona State) - Sophomore - SS/Third Base - Mission Viejo, Calif.
Angela Findlay (Michigan) - Junior - Outfield - Lockport, Ill.
Ali Gardiner (Florida) - Senior - First Base - Waccabuc, N.Y.
Lauren Grill (Mississippi) - Junior - Infield - Tualatin, Ore.
Alissa Haber (Stanford) - Junior - Outfield- Newark, Calif.
Becca Heteniak (DePaul) - Junior - Pitcher - Simi Valley, Calif.
Tiffany Huff (Tennessee) - Junior - Catcher/First Base - Saugus, Calif.
Amanda Kamekona (UCLA) - Senior - Infield - Chino Hills, Calif.
Megan Langenfeld (UCLA) - Junior - Pitcher/First Base - Bakersfield, Calif.
Brittany Lastrapes (Arizona) - Sophomore - Outfield - Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Danielle Lawrie (Washington) - Junior - Pitcher - Langley, British Columbia
Jenae Leles (Arizona) - Senior - Third Base - Fair Oaks, Calif.
Robin Mackin (Nebraska) - Junior - Pitcher - Newmarket, Ontario
Sam Marder (Ohio State) - Junior- Catcher - Calabasas, Calif.
DJ Mathis (Oklahoma) - Senior - Pitcher - East Alton, Ill.
Morgan Melloh (Fresno State) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Fishers, Ind.
Noelle Micka (Nevada) - Sophomore - Catcher - Garden Grove, Calif.
Rachel Mitchell (LSU) - Junior - Outfield - LaPorte, Texas
Kelley Montalvo (Alabama) - Senior - Utility - Miami, Fla.
Charlotte Morgan (Alabama) - Junior- Pitcher/Utility - Moreno Valley, Calif.
Kara Nelson (Illinois State) - Junior - Third Base - Moline, Ill.
Stacey Nelson (Florida) - Senior - Pitcher - Los Alamitos, Calif.
Nikki Nemitz (Michigan) - Junior - Pitcher - St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Megan Patton (DePaul) - Senior - Third Base - Forsyth, Ill.
Missy Penna (Stanford) - Senior - Pitcher/Infield - Miami, Fla.
Haley Perkins (Fresno State) - Senior - Infield - Fresno, Calif.
Brette Reagan (Baylor) - Senior - Infield - Magnolia, Texas
Samantha Ricketts (Oklahoma) - Senior - First Base - San Jose, Calif.
Brittany Rogers (Alabama) - Senior - Outfield - Dacula, Ga.
Jamie Schloredt (Sacramento State) - Senior - Catcher - Woodland, Calif.
Kirsten Shortridge (LSU) - Junior - Pitcher/Outfield- Keller, Texas
Danielle Spaulding (North Carolina) - Junior - First Base/Pitcher - Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Jordan Taylor (Michigan) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Valencia, Calif.
Rhea Taylor (Missouri) - Sophomore - Outfield - Buford, Ga.
Brooke Turner (Long Beach State) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Buena Park, Calif.
Jessica Valis (Houston) - Senior - Infield - Shiner, Texas
Laurie Wagner (Houston) - Senior - Outfield - Houston, Texas
Kim Waleszonia (Florida) - Senior - Outfield - Fontana, Calif.
Megan Wiggins (Georgia) - Sophomore - Infield - Snellville, Ga.
Tammy Williams (Northwestern) - Senior - Infield - Roscoe, Mo.
Jen Yee (Georgia Tech) - Junior - Second Base - North Delta, British Columbia