Two Named POY Candidates

April 9, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. - OU junior pitcher D.J. Mathis and sophomore left fielder Amber Flores have been named two of the 25 candidates for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, announced the Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, on Wednesday.

It marks the sixth straight season that the Sooners have had at least one candidate on the list of 25 and the second consecutive year that OU has had two players on the list. Last season, Samantha Ricketts was one of three finalists for the award.

Oklahoma is the only Big 12 team with more than one candidate on the list. Texas A&M's Megan Gibson is the only other Big 12 player on the list.

Mathis is having a stellar season as she is currently leading the Big 12 with a 0.89 ERA and a 21-4 record. The feisty lefty also leads the conference in appearances (30), game started (24), shutouts (10) and opponent batting average (.141). In addition, her ERA and wins rank in the top 15 in the country.

Flores has been the top offensive player for the Sooners this season as well as one of the best in the Big 12. The leadoff batter has also been OU's top power hitter as she leads the team with 12 home runs, 37 RBI and a .811 slugging percentage. The sophomore left fielder leads the league with a .434 batting average and also owns the top Big 12 marks in runs scored (45), total bases (99), on-base percentage (.530) and slugging percentage (.811). A first team All-Midwest Region selection as a freshman last year, Flores has also put together 19 multiple-hit games and 12 multiple-RBI games.

25 Player of the Year Candidates

Neither Mathis or Flores were on the Preseason Watch List comprised of 40 players. Current Sooners Ricketts and Lauren Eckermann were on the initial watch list, but did not make the list of 25.

On May 7, just days before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be named from the players on this list. On May 21, the list will be cut to three and those final three players will travel to Oklahoma City for the announcement of the winner at the 2008 NCAA Women's College World Series Party at the Park on May 27.

A replica of the award will be placed in a permanent display in the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, along with photos of the winner. An additional replica of the award will be presented to the player's academic institution at a sporting event in the fall.

Tennessee's Monica Abbott captured the 2007 honor before leading her team to the WCWS Final Series. Past winners of the award include Stacey Nuveman (UCLA-2002), Cat Osterman (Texas-2003, 2005 and 2006) and Jessica Van der Linden (Florida State-2004).

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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