Three Sooners on USA Softball Top 50 List

NORMAN – Oklahoma senior infielders Lauren Chamberlain and Shelby Pendley and junior pitcher Kelsey Stevens were each named to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced Wednesday.

Pendley was named a first-team All-American for the first time in her career last season. She led the Big 12 in nearly every major offensive category in 2014, including batting average (.430), hits (83), runs (67), home runs (19), doubles (18), runs batted in (76), on-base percentage (.530) and slugging percentage (.839). In addition, she pitched for the first time since high school and posted a 2.08 earned run average in 40.1 innings of work. She struck out 34 and made four saves to go along with a 2-1 record.

Multiple injuries hindered Chamberlain's junior season, but she still managed to become a three-time All-American as she earned third-team honors in 2014. One of three finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year in 2013, Chamberlain played in only 39 of 64 games last season but still led the team in on-base percentage (.585) and walks drawn (51). She enters the 2015 campaign with the best slugging percentage in NCAA Division I history at .950 and is 10^th all-time in career home runs with 72. She needs 18 to tie the all-time DI record and 19 to break the mark.

In her first season as a Sooner, Stevens was named second-team All-Region, first-team All-Big 12 and was a member of the All-Big 12 Defensive Team. She led the Big 12 in wins (38), innings pitched (275.0), appearances (57), games started (50) and tied for the conference lead in complete games (25). She set league records for starts and school records for wins and appearances. Her 38 wins also tied for the nation's lead, as she became the first Sooner in history to accomplish the feat.

Oklahoma is one of five schools, and the only Big 12 representative, to have at least three student-athletes on the list. Arizona led all schools with four selections. The Sooners on the list are looking to become the second player in OU history to win the award as former Sooner Keilani Ricketts was a two-time winner in 2012 and 2013.

Now in its 14th 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 Top 25 finalists for the 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 8. While a student-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 6 and the Top 3 finalists will be announced May 20. On May 26, prior to the start of the 2015 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, the 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed.