Two Gators Named to Collegiate Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 | Softball
Two University of Florida softball players were named to the 2010 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, according to the release by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) on Wednesday. Senior Francesca Enea (Woodland Hills, Calif.) and junior Stephanie Brombacher (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) 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 35 schools and 14 conferences. Nine other Southeastern Conference players were named, as well as 16 players the Gators will face in 2010 regular season.
Both honorees were NFCA/Louisville Slugger and Easton All-Americans and NFCA All-Southeast Region and All-SEC honorees in 2009. Enea was a top-25 finalist last year and was named SEC Player of the Week twice in 2009. She was also named to the Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team in 2008. Brombacher was a SEC Pitcher of the week in 2009 after pitching her first career no-hitter and holds the Florida record for highest win percentage in a season and a career as she is 42-0 donning in the Orange and Blue.
The ASA will announce the top-25 finalists on April 7. 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 list will be released on May 12, and the three top finalists will be named on May 26. The winner of the 2010 USA Softball Player of the Year award will be announced prior to the start of the 2010 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. In 2009, former Gator pitcher Stacey Nelson was a top-three finalist.
2010 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List
Name (School) - Year - Position - Hometown
Valerie Arioto (California) - Junior - Utility - Pleasanton, Calif.
Donna Bourgeois (ULL) - Junior - Pitcher - Lafayette, La.
Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi State) - Senior - Catcher/Infield - Cordova, Tenn.
Stephanie Brombacher (Florida) - Junior - Pitcher - Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Neena Bryant (Oregon) -Senior - Outfield - Placentia, Calif.
Anna Cahn (Cal Poly) - Junior - Pitcher/Designated Player - Los Alamitos, Calif.
Whitney Canion (Baylor) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Aledo, Texas
Stacie Chambers (Arizona) - RS-Junior - Catcher - Glendale, Ariz.
Lauren Delaney (Northwestern) - Senior - Pitcher - Jefferson City, Mo.
Krista Donnenwirth (Arizona State) - Junior - SS/Third Base - Mission Viejo, Calif.
Kelsi Dunne (Alabama) - Junior - Pitcher - Port Orange, Fla.
Francesca Enea (Florida) - Senior - Outfield - Woodland Hills, Calif.
Amber Flores (Oklahoma) - Senior - Infield - Calexico, Calif.
Alisa Goler (Georgia) - Junior - Infield - Frankfort, Ill.
Kelly Grieve (Tennessee) - Junior -Outfield -Asheville, N.C.
Alissa Haber (Stanford) - Senior - Outfield- Newark, Calif.
Sarah Hamilton (Florida State) - Junior - Pitcher - Tallahassee, Fla.
Ashley Hansen (Stanford) - Sophomore - Infield - Chandler, Ariz.
Becca Heteniak (DePaul) - Senior - Pitcher - Simi Valley, Calif.
Katie Holverson (Nevada) - Senior - Pitcher - Anthem, Ariz.
Tiffany Huff (Tennessee) - Senior - Catcher/First Base - Saugus, Calif.
Molly Johnson (Kentucky) - Senior -Infield - Tucson, Ariz.
Megan Langenfeld (UCLA) - Senior - Pitcher/First Base - Bakersfield, Calif.
Brittany Lastrapes (Arizona) - Junior - Outfield - Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Danielle Lawrie (Washington) - Senior - Pitcher - Langley, British Columbia
Sam Marder (Ohio State) - Senior - Catcher - Calabasas, Calif.
Morgan Melloh (Fresno State) - Junior - Pitcher - Fishers, Ind.
Rachel Mitchell (LSU) - Senior - Outfield - LaPorte, Texas
Adrienne Monka (Northwestern) - Sophomore - Infield - Rancho Cucamongo, Calif.
Charlotte Morgan (Alabama) - Senior - Pitcher/Utility - Moreno Valley, Calif.
Nikki Nemitz (Michigan) - Senior - Pitcher - St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Carly Normandin (Massachusetts) - Senior - Outfield - Gardner, Mass.
Tara Oltman (Creighton) - Senior - Pitcher - Cortland, Neb.
Kimi Pohlman (Washington) - Sophomore - Outfield - Sammamish, Wash.
Nikki Prier (Jacksonville State) - Senior - Infield - Raleigh, N.C.
Jessica Purcell-Fitu (BYU) - Junior - Catcher - Walnut, Calif.
Melissa Roth (Louisville) - Senior - Catcher - Long Beach, Calif.
Katie Schroeder (UCLA) - Junior - Outfield - Yorba Linda, Calif.
Taylor Schlopy (Georgia) - Junior - Pitcher/Outfield - West Hills, Calif.
Kirsten Shortridge (LSU) - Senior - Pitcher/Outfield- Keller, Texas
Kaila Shull (UCLA) -Senior - Catcher/Outfield - Lodi, Calif.
Danielle Spaulding (North Carolina) - Senior - First Base/Pitcher - Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Rhea Taylor (Missouri) - Junior - Outfield - Buford, Ga.
Chelsea Thomas (Missouri) - Sophomore - Utility - Pleasantville, Iowa
Brooke Turner (Long Beach State) - Junior - Pitcher - Buena Park, Calif.
Maggie Viefhaus (Michigan) - Senior - Infielder - Pacific, Mo.
Kristen Wadwell (Louisville) - Senior - Pitcher/Infield - Sydney, Australia
Amberley Waits (Louisiana Tech) - Senior - Infield - Cleburne, Texas
Kelsi Weseman (Georgia Tech) - Sophomore - Infield - Hutto, Texas
Jen Yee (Georgia Tech) - Senior - Second Base - North Delta, British Columbia
