Jan. 28, 2009
Columbia, Mo. - Missouri sophomore All-American Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) of the Tiger softball squad, has been named to the 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List as announced today by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA).
Taylor becomes the first Tiger since 2008 graduate Amanda Renth to be recognized to the annual preseason watch list and is one of just five Big 12 players to make the top 50.
Missouri's leadoff batter in all 64 games of the 2008 campaign, Taylor was crowned Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned second team All-America accolades for her work at the plate and in the field. Taylor finished the season second in the nation with 57 stolen bases, good enough to set both Big 12 and Missouri single season records. Taylor's .402 average her freshman campaign was the best Missouri mark since 2001 when Karen Williams hit .429 on the year.
Named to the 2008 All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 first team, Taylor received the adidas Golden Shoe award presented annually by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) to the nation's top base runner.
Taylor and the 2008 NCAA Regional Champion Tigers will open the 2009 campaign on Saturday, Feb. 14 against Evansville at the Georgia State First Pitch Classic held in Atlanta, Ga.
The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honors in Division I women's collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past winners of this award include UCLA's Stacey Nuveman, Florida State's Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee's Monica Abbott and Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher.
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