Miller, Parker Named to Top 50 Watch List

NORMAN – Oklahoma senior outfielder Erin Miller and sophomore pitcher Paige Parker were each named to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced Wednesday.

Miller is coming off the best season of her career as she set career highs in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.409), runs (56), hits (63), doubles (9), triples (6), home runs (8), RBI (52), slugging (.701) and on-base percentage (.508). She led the Big 12 in triples and triples per game (0.11) and ranked third with 1.02 runs per game. Her six triples were tied for the sixth most in a season in OU history and eighth most in Big 12 annals.

For her efforts, Miller was named a first-team all-region honoree and earned a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team. She is the team's returning leader in several categories, including average, slugging, OBP, runs hits and RBI.

Parker burst onto the scene as a true freshman, throwing four perfect games to tie an NCAA Division I record and winning NFCA Freshman of the Year honors. She was also an NFCA Second Team All-American and a first-team All-Region honoree. A seven-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week, Parker became the fourth player in league history to be named both the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and Big 12 Freshman of the Year in the same season.

The Independence, Mo., native led the Big 12 in earned run average (1.65), shutouts (9), wins (28) and hits allowed per seven innings (4.16) and was second in saves (3) and walks per seven innings (1.84). She also finished 13th nationally in hits allowed per seven innings, 14th in shutouts and wins and 19th in ERA.

Oklahoma is one of 12 schools, and the only Big 12 representative, to have at least two student-athletes on the list. Georgia, LSU and Michigan led all schools with three selections. Miller and Parker 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 15th 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 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 13. An athlete does not have to be on the “Watch List” to be considered for the Top 25, but the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists.

The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 11 and the Top 3 announced May 25. The 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 31.