Oregon's Salling Named Finalist for Player of The Year Award

Salling was voted by her teammates as this season’s Offensive MVP and Most Outstanding Player.

Jenn Salling was named a top 10 finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. Photo: goducks.com

EUGENE - Oregon freshman shortstop Jenn Salling was announced today as one of the top 10 finalists for the 6th Annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award by the Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States.

For the first time in six years, the top ten finalists actually consist of 11 players after there was a tie for the 10th position.

Salling is the only freshman on the list, and one of four players out of the Pac-10 Conference, including Katie Burkhart and Kaitlin Cochran of Arizona State and Caitlin Lowe of Arizona.

Salling, a two time Pac-10 Player of the Week this season, currently is second in the nation and in the Pac-10, batting .496 on the year, trailing only Cochran (.500).

In addition, the Port Coquitlam, B.C., native is sixth in the nation with a .887 slugging percentage (second in the Pac-10) and ninth in the nation averaging 1.16 RBIs per game (tied for first in the Pac-10).

Salling not only does the work offensively, but defensively as well, leading the conference with 167 assists this year.

After redshirting in 2006, Salling is now ranked in the top three of 11 different Pac-10 statistical categories. Her .599 on-base percentage, 40 walks and 125 total bases all rank second.

Most recently, Salling was voted by her teammates as this season’s Offensive MVP and Most Outstanding Player.

Oregon finishes its regular season on the road at 16th-ranked Stanford (Thur., 7:00 PM) and at Cal (Fri., 1:00 PM & Sat., 11:30 AM).

The Ducks will return to Eugene Saturday evening and gather in the Pittman Room - located in the Cas Center - on Sunday to watch the 2007 Selection Show on ESPNews from noon - 1:00 PM (PDT).

An initial “Watch List” was released on January 30 and the list of 25 finalists was announced on April 4th.

The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, in its sixth year, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by NCAA Division I collegiate softball players across the country.

The eleven finalists for the 6th Annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, consists of three players who were selected as top 10 finalists in 2006.

There are also five seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and one freshman among the list.

Top 11 Finalists listed in alphabetical order are:

• Monica Abbott (Tennessee) – Senior – Pitcher - Salinas, Calif.
• Katie Burkhart (Arizona State) – Junior – Pitcher - San Luis Obispo, Calif.
• Kaitlin Cochran (Arizona State) - Sophomore - Outfielder - Yorba Linda, Calif.
• Norrelle Dickson (Oklahoma) – Senior - Third Base - Orange, Calif.
• Caitlin Lever (Georgia Tech) - Senior - Outfielder - Amherst, NY
• Caitlin Lowe (Arizona) – Senior – Outfielder - Tustin, Calif.
• Samantha Ricketts (Oklahoma) - Sophomore - First Base - San Jose, Calif.
• Jenn Salling (Oregon) – Freshman – Shortstop - Port Coquitlam, B.C.
• Amanda Scarborough (Texas A&M) - Junior - Pitcher/First Base - Magnolia, Texas
• Lindsay Schutzler (Tennessee) – Senior – Outfielder - Monterey, Calif.
• Angela Tincher (Virginia Tech) - Junior - Pitcher - Eagle Rock, Va.

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