2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
OKLAHOMA CITY – With the start of the season just around the corner, Cal State Fullerton senior infielder and two-time All-American, Missy Taukeiaho has been selected as one of 50 student-athletes from across the country on the "Watch List" for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. This is the second straight year in which Taukeiaho was selected to the "Watch List."
The preseason "Watch List" consists of 25 seniors, 15 juniors and 10 sophomores, while freshmen are ineligible for consideration. Athletes named to the "Watch List" represent 35 NCAA Division I universities and 15 athletic conferences.
Eight athletes on the Top 50 "Watch List" will compete as a member of the 2016 USA Softball Women's National Team this summer. An additional six athletes will also compete for the Red, White and Blue this summer as a member of the 2016 USA Softball Women's Elite Team.
Taukeiaho is coming off of an extraordinary junior season in which she was selected to the NFCA All-America Third Team while landing on the All-West Region First Team for the second consecutive year. She was also named to the All-Big West First Team after appearing in 46 games for the Titans with as many starts and racking up a .390 batting average to go along with a team-high slugging percentage of .728.
As a junior, the product out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., belted 12 home runs on 53 hits and drove in 41 runs. Taukeiaho roped 10 doubles and scored 32 runs while drawing a team-high 27 walks. She finished the year with a .957 fielding percentage with 106 assists, 50 putouts, five double plays and just seven errors.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 13. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 11 and the Top 3 announced May 25. The 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 31.
Taukeiaho and the Titans will open the 2016 season Friday, Feb. 12 at the Titan Classic. Cal State Fullerton and UTSA will meet on the diamond at 4 p.m. at Anderson Family Field.