OKLAHOMA CITY (January 29, 2020) – USA Softball (USAS) revealed its 2020 Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List where Howard University sophomore slugger
Kalita Dennis (Elk Grove, Calif.) became the first Bison in program history to be honored for this achievement. The announcement came Wednesday afternoon.
USAS, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award enters its 18
th season and recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball student-athletes across the country.
"This is an unbelievable honor for an amazing student-athlete," said Howard softball head coach
Tori Tyson. "Kalita [Dennis] is so deserving of this recognition, and I am so happy that USA Softball is recognizing talent regardless of school or conference. This is a big honor for Howard Softball and the MEAC."
In her rookie campaign, the California native batted .411 with a 1.465 OBS percentage, en route to winning the 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Rookie of the Year award. Additionally, the three-time MEAC Rookie of the Week and All-Conference selection was a candidate for the honorable Schutt Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I National Freshman of the Year award.
The preseason "Watch List" includes 28 seniors, 13 juniors and nine sophomores with freshmen ineligible for consideration; however, freshmen can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level.
Student-athletes named to the "Watch List" represent 33 NCAA Division I universities and 19 athletic conferences.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2020 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 22. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 6 and the Top 3 announced May 20. The 2020 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 26.
On Feb. 7-9, HU opens its 2020 campaign in Athens, Ga., for the Red & Black Showcase, hosted by Georgia.
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at
www.HUBison.com.
