McMichael Named Top 25 Finalist For Collegiate Player Of The Year Award
Junior All-American Joins Three Other SEC Athletes On List
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --? Mississippi State junior all-American Iyhia McMichael was one of 25 finalists named to the final watch list for the Amateur Softball Association's 2003 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the organization announced Wednesday.
The ASA, the national governing body of softball in the United States, presents the award which is considered the Heisman Trophy in women's collegiate softball and is the only national player of the year award. It is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. The final list is comprised of 25 players that represent 19 colleges and nine different conferences.
McMichael is accompanied on the list by Georgia's Nicole Barber and Michelle Green, as well as Alabama's Jackie McClain. She is just one of seven juniors on the list of 25.
"This is a tremendous honor, not only for Iyhia, but also for Mississippi State," said Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller. "Obviously, it is well deserved and it something she has earned throughout the course of this season because, heading into it, she wasn't on anybody's watch list."
McMichael, who stretched her hitting streak out to a school record 25 games on a 2-for-3 tally in MSU's series opener with Mississippi in Oxford on Wednesday evening, is currently hitting .459 with 27 extra-base hits and 48 RBI. She has drawn 27 walks for the Maroon and White this season, scored 48 runs and currently carries a .895 slugging percentage and a .546 on-base percentage. In addition, she is a perfect 26-for-26 on stolen base attempts this season and has successfully swiped 34-straight dating back to last season.
The Nacogdoches, Texas, native is currently tied atop MSU's career list with 90 stolen bases and needs just one more home run this season to match the school's single season mark in that category. She is in the top five of 17 career lists at Mississippi State in only her third season with the Bulldogs.
The ASA's watch list of 25 will be reduced to 10 players on April 29 and three finalists will be announced May 13. The winner of the 2003 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced May 21 at the opening ceremonies of the NCAA College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. The winner will be recognized and presented with the Player of the Year trophy during the ASA National Council Meeting in Orlando, Fla., in November.
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.
UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman was selected as the inaugural winner of the award after leading her Bruins to the Pac-10 title and a berth into the Women's College World Series.
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of amateur softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. As the National Governing Body, the ASA is responsible for identifying, selecting and training male and female athletes to compete in World, Pan American and Olympic competitions. It is also responsible for promoting and growing the sport of softball across the country.