Feb. 2, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri senior outfielder Rhea Taylor and sophomore shortstop Jenna Marston have been selected to USA Softball's Top 50 Watch List for the 2011 College Player of the Year Award, as released Wednesday by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA). This 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 softball players across the country.
Taylor, coming off her second career All-America honor in 2010 has selected to the preseason watch list for the second straight season. Last year, the Buford, Ga., native led the Big 12 and set a new Missouri record with a .452 batting average, which was the ninth-highest in the country. She recorded the third-most triples in the country with eight, belted a career-best eight home runs and tied her own single-season school record with 64 runs scored. On March 31, she broke the 21-year-old school record for most career stolen bases (110), and is closing on the Big 12 Conference overall record. Taylor was a Top 25 finalist for this award last season.
Marston earns the preseason recognition after an outstanding freshman campaign that saw her start 63 of the team's 64 games. She collected the second most hits amongst Big 12 players, while also coming in fifth in runs scored and tying for third in the conference in doubles. Her 16 doubles were the third most in a single season in program history, and her 68 hits tie her for 10th most in a season. Marston had 15 multi-hit games during the year, the second-most on the team, and led all Tigers with 13 multi-RBI games. She was recognized for her successful campaign by being named a First Team All-Big 12 selection and was a Second Team All-Midwest Region honoree.
The 2011 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 36 schools and 15 different NCAA Division I Conferences with the Pac-10 Conference leading the way with seven schools represented. The list includes 23 seniors, 12 juniors and 15 sophomores.
The ASA will announce the 25 finalists on April 13. 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.