Ricketts One of Three POY Finalists

NORMAN, Okla. -- The awards keep pouring in for OU sophomore Samantha Ricketts as the first baseman was named one of three finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year, the Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, announced Wednesday. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, in its sixth year, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by NCAA Division I collegiate softball players across the country.

Ricketts is the first Sooner in history to ever be named a finalist (top 3) while two other Sooners (Norrelle Dickson in 2007 and Leah Gulla in 2003) have been named semifinalists (top 10). Ricketts joins fellow sophomore Kaitlin Cochran of Arizona State and senior pitcher Monica Abbott of Tennessee on the list.

For the third consecutive year, the three finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year come from different Conferences including the Southeastern Conference, Pac-10 and Big 12. These three individuals have already garnered top awards in their respective Conferences and have led their teams into the NCAA Super Regionals.

USA Softball Release | Four Sooners Named All-Americans

Oklahoma sophomore Samantha Ricketts has been a huge reason for the success of the Sooners this season. The San Jose, Calif., native is considered one of the most prolific hitting first baseman to compete at the collegiate level in more than a decade and for good reason. She set the Big 12 and Oklahoma single season record for RBI with 81 and currently leads the nation in RBI per game with 1.33. She led the Big 12 Conference in home runs, RBI, total bases and slugging percentage during the regular season. She has smashed four grand slams this season and is only two home runs shy of the Oklahoma single-season record.

For her efforts this season, Ricketts was selected to the All-Big 12 First Team and All-Region First Team for a second consecutive year. She will be looking to lead her Sooners back to the World Series for the first time since 2004 when Oklahoma faces DePaul this weekend in the Super Regional in Norman.

"This is a tremendous honor for one of the best and purest hitters I have seen in such a young career," said Oklahoma Head Coach Patty Gasso. "Not only did she set OU and Big 12 single season records in RBI, she is also one of the toughest outs in the country. She is very deserving of this and works so diligently both offensively and defensively. I know that Sam is going to be both thrilled and humbled in the fact that she is such a great team player as this recognition is also a tribute to our team and the table setters in front of her that reach base time after time and allow her to drive in runs."

"I'm still very shocked and honored because there are so many great players all around the country and on my own team," Sooner first baseman Samantha Ricketts said. "It's a huge honor and I really wouldn't be in this position without my teammates and coaches. If it wasn't for all of the girls on my team getting on base, I wouldn't have nearly as many RBI this season so this reflects on them as well. I appreciate the recognition from USA Softball and I'm looking forward to this weekend for the Super Regional."

In her final campaign at the collegiate level, Tennessee's Monica Abbott of Salinas, Calif., is leaving a mark on a sport that she has been playing since she was seven. So far this season she has broken the career NCAA Division I record for wins, strikeouts, shutouts and appearances. She picked up her third Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year award and was named as a first-team All-SEC and All-South Region selection. She now leads the nation all-time with 183 career victories, 2,345 strikeouts, 107 shutouts and 244 appearances. She currently leads NCAA Division I with 629 strikeouts, 44 wins and in strikeouts per seven innings at 14.6.

This marks the second consecutive year that Abbott has been named as a top three finalist for the USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year and the fourth consecutive year she was named as a top 10 finalist.

Kaitlin Cochran's sophomore season at Arizona State is proving to be even better than her freshman season just a year ago which saw her named as an NFCA First-Team All-American. For the second time in her career, this Yorba Linda, Calif., native claimed the Pac-10 Batting Title, wrapping up the 2007 regular season with a .506 batting average, 88 hits, 18 home runs and 57 RBI for a slugging percentage of .931 and an on-base-percentage of .621. She also leads the Sun Devils in stolen bases this season with 27 and has a nearly flawless fielding percentage of .978.

The winner of the 2007 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced Tuesday, May 29 during the opening ceremonies of the 2007 NCAA Women's College World Series.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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