Chasing Glory: Top Contenders for Women's Softball Player of the Year

Every NCAA Softball season, USA Softball honors a Collegiate Player of the Year for exceptional performance during the regular season. This year’s Top 53 Watchlist includes players from 26 universities and seven conferences.

NiJaree Canady pitching against the LSU Lady Tigers in the second inning during the NCAA Super Regionals. Courtesy of Getty Images.

The University of Florida and the University of Oklahoma both have five athletes on the list, and are followed by Florida State University and University of California, Los Angeles who both have four athletes each. Among the 53 players, there are a few that are returning to this list, including the 2024 Player of the Year, NiJaree Canady from Texas Tech University, and 2024 Top 3 Finalist Reese Atwood from the University of Texas.

There are three other 2024 Top 10 Finalists who return to the list including Jaysoni Beachum from Florida State, Korbe Otis from Florida, and Karlyn Pickens from the University of Tennessee.

Karlyn Pickens preparing to pitch against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Courtesy of Getty Images.

The process of selecting the Player of the Year starts with a Top 50 “Watch List” that then narrows down to 25, next Top 10, and finally the Top 3. The award is then presented at a team reception in the same week as the Women’s College World Series. The voting is done by coaching representatives from nine Division I conferences within the ten USA Softball Regions, national and local media members who frequently cover Division I softball and former winners of the award. To make sure that the award reflects only regular-season play, the voting happens after the Top 10 selection. The top three players with the highest scores will become finalists and the Player of the Year is chosen based on the total votes. 

Reese Atwood watching her hit go deep center field during the NCAA Division I Regional game against the Northwestern Wildcats. Courtesy of Getty Images.

On April 30 the Top 25 Finalists will be announced, though the athletes are not required to be on the watch list to be considered for part of the Top 25. The Top 10 will be released on May 14 and the Top 3 will be released on May 19. The 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced just before the NCAA Women’s College World Series.

This year’s Top 53 Watchlist includes:

• Ailana Agbayani (Oklahoma)

• Angelina Allen (Iowa State)

• Julia Apsel (Florida State)

• Reese Atwood (Texas)

• Lilli Backes (Georgia)

• Jordy Bahl (Nebraska)

• Mac Barbara (Texas A&M)

• Jaysoni Beachum (Florida State)

• Sydney Berzon (LSU)

• Aliyah Binford (Ole Miss)

• NiJaree Canady (Texas Tech)

• Danieca Coffey (LSU)

• Bri Copeland (Indiana) 

• Cassidy Curd (Duke)

• Mihyia Davis (Texas Tech)

• Abigale Dayton (Oklahoma)

• Megan Delgadillo (Oklahoma State)

• Lauren Derkowski (Michigan)

• Michaela Edenfield (Florida State)

• Bri Ellis (Arkansas)

• Jocelyn Erickson (Florida) 

• Kendra Falby (Florida)

• Karli Godwin (Oklahoma State)

• Jenna Golembiewski (Miami-OH)

• Shaylon Govan (Baylor)

• Megan Grant (UCLA)

• Maddia Groff (Omaha)

• D’Auna Jennings (Duke)

• Teagan Kavan (Texas) 

• Dakota Kennedy (Arizona)

• Emiley Kennedy (Texas A&M)

• Sam Landry (Oklahoma)

• Emma Lemley (Virginia Tech) 

• Kai Luschar (Oregon)

• Ruby Meylan (Oklahoma State) 

• Bridget Nemeth (Penn State)

• Korbe Otia (Florida)

• Ella Parker (Oklahoma)

• Bre Peck (Virginia Tech)

• Karlyn Pickens (Tennessee)

• Kasidi Pickering (Oklahoma)

• Kasey Ricard (Boston U.)

• Keagan Rothrock (Florida)

• Mia Scott (Texas)

• Regan Shockey (Arizona)

• Kaitlyn Terry (UCLA)

• Taylor Tinsley (UCLA)

• Isa Torres (Florida State)

• Aminah Vega (Duke)

• Reagan Walsh (Florida)

• Jordan Woolery (UCLA)

• Koko Wooley (Texas A&M)

• Kailey Wyckoff (Arkansas)

There is a good mix of returning standouts and rising stars, this year’s Player of the Year race is going to be highly competitive. As the season goes on and it narrows from the Top 53 to the eventual Player of the Year, these players will have the opportunity to showcase their talent on the biggest stage.

Edited by Brittany Snow