Oklahoma State University Athletics
Shippy Named To Player of Year Watch List
February 01, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma State Softball's Vanessa Shippy joins 49 other student-athletes on the Top 50 "Watch List" for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, USA Softball announced today.
Shippy comes off an impressive year in which she was named the 2016 Co-Big 12 Player of the Year, as well as an All-American an Academic All-American. The Idaho native hit a team-best .425 while starting all 58 games for the Cowgirls. Shippy scored a team-high 58 runs while bringing home 31.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award enters its 16th season and recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players across the country.
The pre-season "Watch List" includes 26 seniors, 18 juniors and 6 sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 12.
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 10 and the Top 3 announced May 24. The 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 30.
In addition to bestowing the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, USA Softball is now in its 15th season of presenting the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll and the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week, which are announced Tuesdays during the regular season. The pre-season ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll was released Jan. 31 with Oklahoma, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and LSU taking the Top 5 spots respectively.
Shippy and the rest of the Cowgirls start the 2017 season Feb. 10 with a doubleheader against McNeese State and LSU in the Tiger Classic in Baton Rouge, La.
