Oklahoma State University Athletics
Shippy Named to USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
January 31, 2018 | Cowgirl Softball
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State senior Vanessa Shippy is one of 50 players named to the Top 50 "Watch List" for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, it was announced Wednesday.
The list consists of 23 seniors, 18 juniors and nine sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration. Shippy is one of eight Big 12 athletes to be named to the watch list.
During her OSU career, Shippy has placed herself among the elite Cowgirls throughout the program's history.
She is the only Cowgirl to earn multiple All-America and Academic All-America honors, as she earned both those titles in each of the past two seasons. Shippy has also set or has a chance to set several school records as she enters her senior campaign.
The left-handed hitter currently owns the program's career on-base percentage record at .502, and is the only player in team history with an above-.500 on-base percentage in multiple seasons (.543 - 2016, .517 - 2017). She also ranks fifth in career batting average (.381) and fourth in career slugging percentage (.562).
Last year, Shippy led Oklahoma State in several statistical categories, including batting average, hits, runs batted in, total bases and more. She also finished second among the Cowgirls in runs scored, walks, stolen bases and on-base percentage.
Notable previous recipients of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA Division I Softball, include Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007), Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013) and Florida's Lauren Haeger (2015), who was on the Gators' roster during OSU head coach Kenny Gajewski's stint as an assistant in Gainesville.
The 25 finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 25. The list will then be narrowed to 10 on May 9 before the top three are named May 23. USA Softball will reveal the winner of the 2018 Collegiate Player of the Year on May 29.
The list consists of 23 seniors, 18 juniors and nine sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration. Shippy is one of eight Big 12 athletes to be named to the watch list.
During her OSU career, Shippy has placed herself among the elite Cowgirls throughout the program's history.
She is the only Cowgirl to earn multiple All-America and Academic All-America honors, as she earned both those titles in each of the past two seasons. Shippy has also set or has a chance to set several school records as she enters her senior campaign.
The left-handed hitter currently owns the program's career on-base percentage record at .502, and is the only player in team history with an above-.500 on-base percentage in multiple seasons (.543 - 2016, .517 - 2017). She also ranks fifth in career batting average (.381) and fourth in career slugging percentage (.562).
Last year, Shippy led Oklahoma State in several statistical categories, including batting average, hits, runs batted in, total bases and more. She also finished second among the Cowgirls in runs scored, walks, stolen bases and on-base percentage.
Notable previous recipients of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA Division I Softball, include Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007), Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013) and Florida's Lauren Haeger (2015), who was on the Gators' roster during OSU head coach Kenny Gajewski's stint as an assistant in Gainesville.
The 25 finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 25. The list will then be narrowed to 10 on May 9 before the top three are named May 23. USA Softball will reveal the winner of the 2018 Collegiate Player of the Year on May 29.
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
