OKLAHOMA CITY (May 20, 2024) — USA Softball has named the Top 3 Finalists for the 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes exceptional athletic performance throughout the entire softball season and is considered the highest individual honor in Division I collegiate softball.
Previous winners of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year include Stacey Nuveman (UCLA – 2002), Cat Osterman (Texas – 2003, 2005, 2006), Jessica Van der Linden (Florida State – 2004), Monica Abbott (Tennessee – 2007), Angela Tincher (Virginia Tech – 2008), Danielle Lawrie (Washington – 2009, 2010), Ashley Hansen (Stanford – 2011), Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma – 2012, 2013), Lacey Waldrop (Florida State – 2014), Lauren Haeger (Florida – 2015), Sierra Romero (Michigan – 2016), Kelly Barnhill (Florida – 2017), Rachel Garcia (UCLA – 2018, 2019), Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma – 2021, 2022) and most recently, Valerie Cagle (2023).
Represented by two sophomores and one graduate student from three NCAA Division I universities and two athletic conferences, the Top 3 Finalists for the 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year include Texas’ Reese Atwood (Big 12), Stanford’s NiJaree Canady (Pac-12) and Oklahoma State’s Lexi Kilfoyl (Big 12) – Each of which will take the stage at Super Regionals this weekend.
Click here to view the Top 3 Finalists »
As the 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year, Reese Atwood proves to be a force at the plate with a conference-leading 88 RBI – which also ranks first in the nation – while placing among the Top 10 nationally in four additional categories including home runs (5th – 22), total bases (6th – 154), slugging percentage (7th – .901) and sac-flies (3rd – 8). Atwood is also recognized as a two-time All-Big 12 honoree while earning three Big 12 Player of the Week selections.
NiJaree Canady, the five-time Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week and the 2024 Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, currently leads the nation with a 0.50 ERA and 279 strikeouts. She also ranks among the top three in the Pac-12 for wins (3rd – 21) and innings pitched (2nd – 168.2), while leading in several categories including saves (1st – 5), opposing batting average (1st – .133), batters struck out (1st – 256), batters struck out looking (1st – 59), earned runs (1st – 12) and runs allowed (1st – 22).
Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, Lexi Kilfoyl has etched her way onto the nationwide leaderboard with a 1.08 ERA – a feat that places her at No. 3 on the NCAA leaderboard, while also standing atop the conference leaderboard with a 24-3 win/loss record. Making history during the 2024 season, Kilfoyl is the first player in program history to sweep Big 12 and NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors three separate times in a season.
The 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced on May 28 at the athlete banquet prior to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) set to take place at the Softball Capital of the World® May 30 – June 7.
Paired with the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, USA Softball is also in its 22nd season of presenting the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll, which is released every Tuesday throughout the regular season. Follow along with Division I NCAA Softball all season long at USASoftball.com.