Salling Named Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
Oregon freshman shortstop Jenn Salling was one of 25 finalists named for the 2007 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, announced today by The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States.
This award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.
On May 9, just days before the start of postseason play, a list of 10 finalists will be named. On May 23 the list will be cut to three and those final three players will travel to Oklahoma City for the announcement of the winner at the 2007 NCAA Women’s College World Series.
Salling, a redshirt freshman was the only first-year player to make the list of 25, along with 12 seniors, seven juniors and five sophomores.
She has led Oregon to a No. 10 national ranking this season in the most recent NFCA/USA Today poll, and a 36-4 start, the best in program history.
The Port Coquitlam, BC native has been named Pacific-10 Player of the Week on two occasions this season, including most recently earning the title for the week of March 27-April 2, after leading Oregon to a 2-1 start in the Pac-10 Conference.
The Ducks’ No. 3 hitter in the order, she leads Oregon as well as the Pac-10, batting .524. She also ranks first with 54 RBIs, a mark that broke Oregon’s single season record.
In addition, she ranks second in the Pac-10 in slugging percentage (.905), on-base percentage (.597), triples (5) and total bases (95). Her 55 hits tie for second in the conference, and her 40 runs scored are third. Defensively, she leads the conference with 106 assists.
Oregon jumped out to a 2-1 start in the Pac-10 last week, recording a 4-3 victory over Cal in the opener, courtesy of Salling’s game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh. The Ducks then split their final two games with Stanford.
Oregon continues Pac-10 play this week hosting No. 17 Oregon State (28-11, 2-1) at 3 p.m. on Friday, and at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Salling, the reigning Player of the Week, will be going up against the reigning Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week, the Beavers’ Brianne McGowan.
Five of the finalists were among the Top 25 finalists in 2006 including Tennessee’s Monica Abbott, Arizona’s Caitlin Lowe and Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher who were also top 10 finalists last year.
Seven of this year’s finalists are from the Pac-10.
For complete stats and photos of the 2007 Top 25 Finalists visit the “College Corner” section on USA Softball’s official website - www.usasoftball.com.
Name School Hometown Year Position
Monica Abbott Tennessee Salinas, Calif. Senior Pitcher
Katie Burkhart Arizona State San Luis Obispo, Calif. Junior Pitcher
Kaitlin Cochran Arizona State Yorba Linda, Calif. Sophomore Outfield
Garland Cooper Northwestern Mission Viejo, Calif. Senior First Base
Bianca Cruz Arizona State Surprise, Ariz. Senior Third Base
Norrelle Dickson Oklahoma Orange, Calif. Senior Third Base
Kristie Fox Arizona San Diego, Calif. Senior Shortstop
Megan Gibson Texas A&M Spring, Texas Junior RHP/1B
Leslie Klein LSU Sunrise, Fla. Senior Outfield
Danielle Lawrie Washington Langley, B.C. Sophomore Pitcher
Caitlin Lever Georgia Tech Amherst, N.Y. Senior Outfield
Caitlin Lowe Arizona Tustin, Calif. Senior Outfield
Brooke Marnitz Kentucky Lexington, Ken. Senior Shortstop
Ashley Monceaux Baylor Tucson, Ariz. Senior Infield
Chrissy Owens Alabama Miami, Fla. Junior Pitcher
Lauren Parker Alabama Port Neches, Texas Sophomore Infield
Amanda Renth Missouri Mascoutah, Ill. Junior Infield
Samantha Ricketts Oklahoma San Jose, Calif. Sophomore First Base
Jenn Salling Oregon Port Coquitlam, B.C. (RS)Freshman Shortstop
Amanda Scarborough Texas A&M Magnolia, Texas Junior RHP/1B
Lindsay Schutzler Tennessee Monterey, Calif. Senior Outfield
Holly Tankersley ULL Kirbyville, Texas Junior DP/Outfield
Angela Tincher Virginia Tech Eagle Rock, VA Junior Pitcher
Courtney Totte Oklahoma State Lawton, Okla. Senior Catcher
Tammy Williams Northwestern Roscoe, Mo. Sophomore Shortstop
This award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.
On May 9, just days before the start of postseason play, a list of 10 finalists will be named. On May 23 the list will be cut to three and those final three players will travel to Oklahoma City for the announcement of the winner at the 2007 NCAA Women’s College World Series.
Salling, a redshirt freshman was the only first-year player to make the list of 25, along with 12 seniors, seven juniors and five sophomores.
She has led Oregon to a No. 10 national ranking this season in the most recent NFCA/USA Today poll, and a 36-4 start, the best in program history.
The Port Coquitlam, BC native has been named Pacific-10 Player of the Week on two occasions this season, including most recently earning the title for the week of March 27-April 2, after leading Oregon to a 2-1 start in the Pac-10 Conference.
The Ducks’ No. 3 hitter in the order, she leads Oregon as well as the Pac-10, batting .524. She also ranks first with 54 RBIs, a mark that broke Oregon’s single season record.
In addition, she ranks second in the Pac-10 in slugging percentage (.905), on-base percentage (.597), triples (5) and total bases (95). Her 55 hits tie for second in the conference, and her 40 runs scored are third. Defensively, she leads the conference with 106 assists.
Oregon jumped out to a 2-1 start in the Pac-10 last week, recording a 4-3 victory over Cal in the opener, courtesy of Salling’s game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh. The Ducks then split their final two games with Stanford.
Oregon continues Pac-10 play this week hosting No. 17 Oregon State (28-11, 2-1) at 3 p.m. on Friday, and at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Salling, the reigning Player of the Week, will be going up against the reigning Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week, the Beavers’ Brianne McGowan.
Five of the finalists were among the Top 25 finalists in 2006 including Tennessee’s Monica Abbott, Arizona’s Caitlin Lowe and Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher who were also top 10 finalists last year.
Seven of this year’s finalists are from the Pac-10.
For complete stats and photos of the 2007 Top 25 Finalists visit the “College Corner” section on USA Softball’s official website - www.usasoftball.com.
Name School Hometown Year Position
Monica Abbott Tennessee Salinas, Calif. Senior Pitcher
Katie Burkhart Arizona State San Luis Obispo, Calif. Junior Pitcher
Kaitlin Cochran Arizona State Yorba Linda, Calif. Sophomore Outfield
Garland Cooper Northwestern Mission Viejo, Calif. Senior First Base
Bianca Cruz Arizona State Surprise, Ariz. Senior Third Base
Norrelle Dickson Oklahoma Orange, Calif. Senior Third Base
Kristie Fox Arizona San Diego, Calif. Senior Shortstop
Megan Gibson Texas A&M Spring, Texas Junior RHP/1B
Leslie Klein LSU Sunrise, Fla. Senior Outfield
Danielle Lawrie Washington Langley, B.C. Sophomore Pitcher
Caitlin Lever Georgia Tech Amherst, N.Y. Senior Outfield
Caitlin Lowe Arizona Tustin, Calif. Senior Outfield
Brooke Marnitz Kentucky Lexington, Ken. Senior Shortstop
Ashley Monceaux Baylor Tucson, Ariz. Senior Infield
Chrissy Owens Alabama Miami, Fla. Junior Pitcher
Lauren Parker Alabama Port Neches, Texas Sophomore Infield
Amanda Renth Missouri Mascoutah, Ill. Junior Infield
Samantha Ricketts Oklahoma San Jose, Calif. Sophomore First Base
Jenn Salling Oregon Port Coquitlam, B.C. (RS)Freshman Shortstop
Amanda Scarborough Texas A&M Magnolia, Texas Junior RHP/1B
Lindsay Schutzler Tennessee Monterey, Calif. Senior Outfield
Holly Tankersley ULL Kirbyville, Texas Junior DP/Outfield
Angela Tincher Virginia Tech Eagle Rock, VA Junior Pitcher
Courtney Totte Oklahoma State Lawton, Okla. Senior Catcher
Tammy Williams Northwestern Roscoe, Mo. Sophomore Shortstop
