April 4, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - Junior slugger Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) of the Missouri softball team was named one of 25 finalists for the annual Amateur Softball Association (ASA) USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award as announced today by the ASA. Renth is one of six Big 12 players nominated and also the first Tiger in over 10 years to receive the recognition.

Averaging .347 on the season, Renth has started in all 44 contests for the Tigers and has hit a team-high 12 home runs, including her March 18 grand slam against Western Illinois. Renth leads the Tigers with a .669 slugging percentage and 30 walks, 10 intentional.

Renth's most noteworthy outing of the season came in Missouri's three-game series against then-No. 2 Arizona. Renth finished the weekend 3-for-5 at the plate, hit two round-trippers, and drove in five of Missouri's 12 runs. Averaging .600 on the weekend, Renth owned a 2.000 slugging percentage against the Wildcats and .833 on base percentage.

Currently, Renth leads the team with 45 RBI, with redshirt junior Micaela Minner a distant second at 31.

In the field, Renth has collected a team high 287 putouts from her work at first base and is also credited with 15 assists for a .987 fielding percentage.

The award, one of the top honors in college softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Renth is one of only seven juniors named to the list, and one of 11 infielders. The list recognizes players from 17 different schools and six different conferences.

The list will be shortened to 10 finalists on May 10, prior to the start of post-season play, and then to the top-three on May 23rd. The winner will be announced at the 2007 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla..