Kelsey Nunley Named Finalist for National Player of the Year
LEXINGTON, Ky. –On the heels of a stellar
senior season, University of Kentucky pitcher Kelsey Nunley has been named to
the ASA/USA Softball finalists list for 2016 National Player of the Year, it
was announced recently. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award,
which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women’s collegiate
softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by female players
across the country.
Now in its 15th year, previous recipients of
the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award are UCLA catcher Stacey
Nuveman (2002), Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Florida State
pitcher Jessica Van der Linden (2004), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007),
Virginia Tech pitcher Angela Tincher (2008), Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie
(2009 and 2010), Stanford shortstop Ashley Hansen (2011), Oklahoma pitcher
Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013), Florida State pitcher Lacey Waldrop (2014)
and Florida pitcher Lauren Haeger (2015).
Nunley has a 15-4 overall record in 2016 and
leads the Kentucky staff with over 120 strikeouts, in addition to being the
active innings pitched leader in the NCAA at the current time.
Nunley went the distance Saturday and Monday,
helping Kentucky earn two shutout wins over the No. 8 Tigers. The Soddy Daisy,
Tenn., native struck out over seven LSU batters on the weekend and lowered her
ERA on the season to 0.97. She was also named the Southeastern Conference’s
Pitcher of the Week on Monday for her efforts.
The senior sensation has appeared over 20
times in the circle this season for UK, and has 10 complete games pitched. She
has also recorded six shutouts and converted on her one save opportunity – at No.
22 Arizona State. Nunley has thrown over 115 innings this season, only allowing
16 earned runs and striking out 142 batters, while only walking 31.
Nunley is also a finalist for the 2016 Senior
CLASS Award, where fans can go online and vote for Nunley every day through the
end of the regular season once per day. Fan balloting counts for 1/3 of the
total with the remaining 2/3 determined by NCAA Division I coaches and national
media members.
Just prior to the start of postseason play, the
list will be narrowed to the Top 10 Finalists on May 11. The Top 3 Finalists
will be announced May 25, while the winner of the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate
Player of the Year award will be revealed on May 31 prior to the start of the
NCAA WCWS in Oklahoma City.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
award is voted on by coaching representatives of 10 Division I Conferences in
the 15 ASA/USA Softball Regions, members of the media who consistently cover
Division I Softball across the country as well as past winners of the award.
After a thrilling 2-1 win on Wednesday night
at John Cropp Stadium thanks to an Abbey Cheek two-run home run in the bottom
of the sixth, the No. 12 University of Kentucky softball team will welcome the
No. 18 Missouri Tigers to Lexington for a three-game series kicking off Friday
night at 6 p.m. ET.
