MSU's Chelsea Bramlett One Of 25 Finalists For USA Softball Player Of Year
April 10, 2008 | Softball
STARKVILLE, Miss. ? Mississippi State sophomore catcher Chelsea Bramlett has been named one of 25 finalists for the 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious honors in women's college softball.
The Cordova, Tenn., native is one of five players from the Southeastern Conference in the pool of 25 finalists. Ten finalists will be determined on May 7, and the final three, who will be recognized during the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, will be announced on May 21.
"This is a very deserving honor for Chelsea. She has had an outstanding season, and she means a lot to our program not only offensively, but also with what she does behind the plate in working with our pitching staff," MState head coach Jay Miller said. "We hope to see her move on to the top 10, the top three and then player of the year if she keeps playing the way she has so far this season."
Pacing MSU (32-15) at the plate all season, Bramlett is hitting at a .449 clip which is third in the Southeastern Conference and 10th nationally. The first team preseason All-SEC selection also tops the squad with an SEC third-best 40 runs and 38 stolen bases, which are the second-most in the league and fifth-most nationally. Her stolen base total stands as the third-most in a season in school history, eight behind the record 46 she set last season as a freshman.
The team and league leader with 70 hits, Bramlett has also added three triples and a pair of home runs during her second season with the Maroon and White.
During her two-year career with the Bulldogs, Bramlett has compiled a program second-best .412 batting average. Her 84 career stolen bases are the third-most in school annals.
Bramlett and her Bulldog teammates travel to Columbia, S.C., this weekend to meet South Carolina in a three-game SEC set Saturday and Sunday. First pitch both days is set for noon CST.
