Three Gators Named to 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
Thursday, January 29, 2009 | Softball
Three University of Florida softball players were named to the 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, according to the release by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) on Wednesday. Seniors Ali Gardiner (Waccabuc, N.Y.), Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and Kim Waleszonia (Fontana, Calif.) graced the 50-person list.
The 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 players across the country. The preseason watch list is comprised of 50 players representing 32 schools and 13 conferences. Nine other Southeastern Conference players were named, as well as 11 players the Gators will face in 2009 regular season.
All three honorees were NFCA/Louisville Slugger and Easton All-Americans, NFCA All-Southeast Region honorees, All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive team honorees in 2008. Nelson and Waleszonia earned the All-America honors for the second time in their careers. Nelson was a top-10 finalist of the Player of the Year award last season, as the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year recorded 363 strikeouts and an 0.75 ERA over 352.1 innings.
The ASA will announce the top-25 finalists on April 1. A player does not have to appear on the initial watch list to be considered for the top 25, but the winner is chosen from the shortened list. The top-10 finalists will be named on May 6 and the final three on May 20. The winner will be announced prior to the start of the 2009 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
2009 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List
Name – School – Year – Position – Hometown
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
