Taylor Thom named to Top 50 “Watch List” for the 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year

OKLAHOMA CITY - Texas senior shortstop Taylor Thom has been named to the preseason Top 50 "Watch List" for the 2014 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) announced Wednesday.

In 2013, Thom was named a NFCA Third Team All-American, a member of the NFCA All-Central Region First Team and to the All-Big 12 Conference First Team, as she set the UT single-season record with 66 runs batted in while hitting .382 with 71 hits and 15 home runs. On the program's all-time charts, Thom enters her senior year ranked fourth in runs batted in (135), seventh in doubles (37), eighth in runs scored (122), ninth in home runs (28) and tied for 10th in stolen bases (41).

The award is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball and is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Previous recipients of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award include UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman (2002), Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Florida State pitcher Jessica Van der Linden (2004), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007), Virginia Tech pitcher Angela Tincher (2008), Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie (2009 and 2010), Stanford shortstop Ashley Hansen (2011) and Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013).

The 2014 list is comprised of 50 players representing 36 schools and 12 different NCAA Division I Conferences with the Pac-10 Conference leading the way with seven schools represented. The list includes 24 seniors, 20 juniors and six sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration.

The ASA will announce the 25 finalists on April 9. A player does not have to appear on this initial "Watch List" to be considered as a Top 25 finalist. However, once the Top 25 finalists are named the winner of the award will come from that list. Freshman can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level.

2014 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List

School	First Name	Last Name	Position	Year	Hometown
LSU	AJ	Andrews	Outfield	Junior	Oldsmar, Fla.
Longwood	Megan	Baltzell	Catcher/1B	Junior	Stafford, Va.
Tulsa	Jill	Barrett	Infield	Senior	Greenwood, Ark.
Iowa	Megan	Blank	Infield	Junior	Culver City, Calif.
Stanford	Kayla	Bonstrom	Utility	Sophomore	Tucson, Ariz.
South Alabama	Hannah	Campbell	Pitcher	Senior	Satsuma, Ala.
Baylor	Whitney	Canion	Pitcher	Senior	Aledo, Texas
UCLA	Ally	Carda	Utility/Pitcher	Junior	Elk Grove, Calif.
Oklahoma	Lauren	Chamberlain	Infield	Junior	Trabuco Canyon, Calif.
Arizona State	Cheyenne	Coyle	Shortstop	Senior	West Hills, Calif.
Michigan	Sara	Driesenga	Pitcher	Junior	Hudsonville, Mich.
Nebraska	Tatum	Edwards	Pitcher	Senior	Murrieta, Calif.
Arizona State	Dallas	Escobedo	Pitcher	Senior	Glendale, Ariz.
Arizona State	Amber	Freeman	Catcher	Junior	Lakewood, Calif.
Idaho State	Vicky	Galasso	Catcher/IF	Junior	Huntington Beach, Calif.
Ball State	Jennifer	Gilbert	Pitcher/OF	Senior	McKinney, Texas
Georgia	Geri Ann	Glasco	Pitcher/1B	Sophomore	Watkinsville, Ga.
Florida	Lauren	Haeger	Pitcher/ 1B	Junior	Peoria, Ariz.
Oregon	Cheridan	Hawkins	Pitcher	Sophomore	Anderson, Calif.
Washington	Victoria	Hayward	Outfield	Senior	Mountain View, Calif.
Alabama	Kaila	Hunt	Infield	Senior	Evans, Ga.
Washington	Kaitlin	Inglesby	Pitcher	Senior	Portland, Ore.
Louisville	Katie	Keller	2nd Base	Senior	Livermore, Calif.
Notre Dame	Emilee	Koerner	Outfield	Junior	Tustin, Calif.
Texas A&M	Cali	Lanphear	Catcher/OF	Sophomore	Montgomery, Texas
UCLA	Stephany	LaRosa	Utility	Junior	Diamond Bar, Calif.
Wisconsin	Mary	Massei	Outfield	Senior	Chino Hills, Calif.
Alabama	Haylie	McCleney	Outfield	Sophomore	Morris, Ala.
San Diego State	Hayley	Miles	Utility	Junior	Antelope, Calif.
South Florida	Sara	Nevins	Pitcher	Senior	Pinellas Park, Fla.
Houston	Haley	Outon	Catcher	Senior	Pflugerville, Texas
Temple	Stephanie	Pasquale	Catcher/1b	Senior	Pompton Lakes, N.J.
Oklahoma	Shelby	Pendley	Infield	Junior	Rio Rancho, N.M.
Oregon	Alexa	Peterson	Catcher	Senior	Salem, Ore.
Tennessee	Ellen	Renfroe	Pitcher	Senior	Jackson, Tenn.
Minnesota	Kaitlyn	Richardson	Utility	Junior	Phoenix, Ariz.
Florida	Hannah	Rogers	Pitcher	Senior	Lake Wales, Fla.
Michigan	Sierra	Romero	Shortstop	Sophomore	Murrieta, Calif.
Tennessee	Madison	Shipman	Infield	Senior	Valencia, Calif.
Oregon	Janie	Takeda	Outfield	Junior	Placentia, Calif.
Texas	Taylor	Thom	Shortstop	Senior	Cedar Park, Texas
Georgia Tech	Ashley	Thomas	Shortstop	Senior	McKinney, Texas
Alabama	Jackie	Traina	Pitcher/Utility	Senior	Naples, Fla.
Purdue	Andie	Varsho	Outfield	Senior	Chili, Wis.
Florida State	Lacey	Waldrop	Pitcher	Junior	Chester, Va.
Arkansas	Devon	Wallace	Utility	Junior	Double Oak, Texas
ULL	Jordan	Wallace	Pitcher	Junior	Weatherford, Texas
Arizona	Hallie	Wilson	Utility	Junior	Santa Ana, Calif.
Georgia	Paige	Wilson	Infield	Junior	Chicago, Ill.
Notre Dame	Laura	Winter	Pitcher/IF	Senior	San Diego, Calif.

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Taylor Thom named to Top 50 “Watch List” for the 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year