After being ranked No.10 in the first preseason poll, more preseason buzz was generated Wednesday when three Wildcats were named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List. Seniors Katiyana Mauga, Mandie Perez and Danielle O’Toole were named to the 50 player watch list.
It marks Mauga’s third consecutive season on the watch list, while Perez and O’Toole both appear for the first time.
The Wildcats have three of the nine total Pac-12 players on the list. The Oregon Ducks were the only other Pac-12 team with multiple players represented (2).
Mauga headlines the Arizona lineup this season, and will be chasing records all season long. She enters the season with 67 career home runs, 20 shy of the Arizona school record held by Stacie Chambers. Mauga will also be chasing the all-time NCAA home run record that stands at 95.
O’Toole heads in to 2017 with big expectations after being named to the United State’s Women’s National Team, and the accolade Wednesday likely will not be her last before the season begins.
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Perez is coming off of her best season as a Wildcat. As a junior in 2016, Perez batted .338 and hit 11 home runs, second on the team. She was an All-Pac-12 Conference selection.
In order to win the final USA Player of the Year award a player has to remain on the list throughout the entire season.
The Top 25 Finalists will be announced on April 12, and the Top 10 Finalists will be announced on May 10. A player does not have to appear on the initial Top 50 Finalists list to be considered for the Top 25 Finalists list, but only the players on the Top 25 Finalists list will be eligible going forward. The Top 3 Finalists will be announced on May 24, and the final award will be revealed on May 30.
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