Feb. 1, 2012

BERKELEY - Though they have yet to play in a game this year, three Golden Bears were named to softball's most prestigious watch list for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The Amateur Softball Association placed Valerie Arioto, Jolene Henderson and Jamia Reid on its top-50 list, ASA announced Wednesday.

Cal is one of five institutions that lead the way with three student-athletes representatives apiece. Additionally, the Pac-12 is one of two conferences to have six schools honored.

Now in its 11th year, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, given by the national governing body for softball in the United States, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.

The preseason watch list includes 23 seniors, 20 juniors and seven sophomores, with freshmen ineligible for this first round of consideration. Freshmen can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level. Athletes named to the watch list represent 31 NCAA Division I universities and 13 athletic conferences.

The Top 25 Finalists for the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 11. While an athlete does not have to be on the watch list to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 9 and the Top 3 Finalists will be announced May 23. On May 29 prior to the start of the 2012 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed.

2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
Name (School) - Year - Position - Hometown
Emily Allard (Northwestern) - Junior - Shortstop - Antioch, Calif.
Valerie Arioto (Cal) - Senior - Utility - Pleasanton, Calif.
Nikki Armagost (Pacific) - Junior - Pitcher/Utility - Andover, Kan.
Lexy Bennett (Texas) - Senior - Infield - Kingwood, Texas
Emily Bledsoe (Texas Tech) - Senior - Infield - Fulshear, Texas
Katelyn Boyd (Arizona State) - Senior - Shortstop - Phoenix, Ariz.
Kayla Braud (Alabama) - Junior - Outfield - Eugene, Ore.
Devon Bridges (Boise State) - Sophomore - Outfield/First base - Danville, Calif.
Jenna Caira (Syracuse) - Senior - Pitcher - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Whitney Canion (Baylor) - Junior - Pitcher - Aledo, Texas
Raven Chavanne (Tennessee) - Junior - Third base/Outfield - Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Amanda Chidester (Michigan) - Senior - Third base - Allen Park, Mich.
Aimee Creger (Tulsa) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Yukon, Okla.
Brigette Del Ponte (Arizona) - Junior - Infield - Peoria, Ariz.
Taylor Edwards (Nebraska) - Sophomore - Catcher - Murrieta, Calif.
Dallas Escobedo (Arizona State) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Glendale, Ariz.
Bree Evans (Michigan) - Senior - Centerfield - Bloomington, Calif.
Ashley Fleming (Missouri) - Senior - Outfield - Silex, Mo.
Kenzie Fowler (Arizona) - Junior - Pitcher - Tucson, Ariz.
Kellie Fox (UCLA) - Sophomore - Shortstop - San Diego, Calif.
Olivia Galati (Hofstra) - Junior - Pitcher/Designated player - West Babylon, N.Y.
Lauren Gibson (Tennessee) - Junior - Infield- Pasadena, Md.
Ashley Hansen (Stanford) - Senior - Infield - Chandler, Ariz.
Andrea Harrison (UCLA) - Senior - Left field/First base - Garden Grove, Calif.
Jolene Henderson (Cal) - Junior - Pitcher/First base - Elk Grove, Calif.
Taylor Hoagland (Texas) - Junior - Outfield/Third base - Flower Mound, Texas
Jessica Iwata (Hawaii) - Junior - Shortstop - Lihu'e, Hawaii
Ashley Lane (Michigan) - Junior - Second base - Escondido, Calif.
Blaire Luna (Texas) - Junior - Pitcher - Austin, Texas
Meagan May (Texas A&M) - Junior - Catcher/First base - Spring, Texas
Ashley McClain (FIU) - Senior - Outfield/Pitcher - Brandon, Fla.
Dani Miller (Notre Dame) - Senior - Infield - Huntington Beach, Calif.
Jen Mineau (Fordham) - Senior - Pitcher - Schaghticoke, N.Y.
Adrienne Monka (Northwestern) - Senior - First base - Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Michelle Moultrie (Florida) - Senior - Center field - Jacksonville, Fla.
Christi Orgeron (ULL) - Senior - Outfield - New Orleans, La.
Sara Plourde (UMass) - Senior - Pitcher - Bristol, Conn.
Kimi Pohlman (Washington) - Senior - Outfield - Sammamish, Wash.
Jamia Reid (Cal) - Senior - Outfield - Buena Park, Calif.
Ellen Renfroe (Tennessee) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Jackson, Tenn.
Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma) - Junior - Pitcher - San Jose, Calif.
Rachel Riley (Kentucky) - Senior - Pitcher/Designated player - Bowling Green, Ky.
Hannah Rogers (Florida) - Senior - Pitcher - Lake Wales, Fla.
Brittany Schutte (Florida) - Junior - Catcher - Fountain Valley, Calif.
Kathy Shelton (Baylor) - Junior - Outfield - McKinney, Texas
Jessica Shults (Oklahoma) - Junior - Catcher - Valencia, Calif.
Chelsea Thomas (Missouri) - Redshirt Junior - Pitcher - Pleasantville, Iowa
Jackie Traina (Alabama) - Sophomore - Pitcher/Designated player - Naples, Fla.
Kelsi Weseman (Georgia Tech) - Senior - Shortstop - Hutto, Texas
Niki Williams (Washington) - Senior - Utility - Mission Viejo, Calif.