University of Tennessee Athletics
Gregg Named to USA Softball Top 50 “Watch List”
January 31, 2018 | Softball
2018 USA Softball Top 50 "Watch List"
OKLAHOMA CITY – Preseason honors continue to roll in for Tennessee softball's Meghan Gregg, as the senior was named to the Top 50 "Watch List" for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, as announced by USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States.
Now in its 17th season, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players across the country.
Tennessee softball has now had at least one player named to the preseason "Watch List" in 15 consecutive seasons (2004-18). The Lady Vols have had 30 players selected to the Top 50 "Watch List" overall since its creation. The softball program boasts 21 Top 25 finalists, 13 Top 10 finalists and four Top 5 finalists. Monica Abbott is the only Lady Vol to win the award, doing so back in 2007.
Gregg was also recently named to the Preseason All-SEC team after becoming the program's 15th NFCA All-American with first-team honors last season and being named its fifth SEC Player of the Year. The senior shortstop had an outstanding junior season as the Lady Vols' top offensive players, ranking first on the team in batting average (.437), hits (73), RBIs (79), and home runs (15) last season. Gregg ranked second in the nation in RBIs and RBIs per game (1.32). Her .437 batting average ranked 10th among all NCAA Division I players and her 18 doubles tied for 13th. Gregg was also sixth in on-base percentage (.557) and 12th in slugging percentage (.838). She tied for eighth in total bases (140).
Gregg was selected as the SEC Player of the Year and a Top-3 Finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season. She also garnered NFCA Division I All-Southeast Region Team, All-SEC First Team, SEC All-Defensive Team and College Sports Madness Preseason All-American honors and she set Tennessee's single-season RBI record with 79 last season.
The preseason "Watch List" includes 23 seniors, 18 juniors and 9 sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration. (Freshman can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level). Athletes named to the "Watch List" represent 32 NCAA Division I universities and 13 athletic conferences. Oklahoma leads the way among universities with five athlete representatives, while Arizona and Oregon have four athletes on the "Watch List" apiece. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is also well-represented with eight member-schools, while five universities represent the Pac-12 Conference.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 25. While an athlete does not have to be on the "Watch List" to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 9 and the Top 3 announced May 23. The 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 29.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation's largest sports organizations, USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 69 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 150,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2 million. USA Softball is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USA Softball annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USA Softball umpire program is among the nation's largest and are widely known as the best-trained umpires in the game.
As the NGB for the sport of softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USA Softball, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.
About the NCAA Women's College World Series
USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field serves as the home to the NCAA Women's College World Series (WCWS). For the 28th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and compete for a national championship. Last year, over 70,000 fans attended the WCWS. Be there to Share The Experience with softball fans from across the country May 31-June 5/6 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2018 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here to purchase your tickets and secure your championship experience!
Now in its 17th season, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female collegiate softball players across the country.
Tennessee softball has now had at least one player named to the preseason "Watch List" in 15 consecutive seasons (2004-18). The Lady Vols have had 30 players selected to the Top 50 "Watch List" overall since its creation. The softball program boasts 21 Top 25 finalists, 13 Top 10 finalists and four Top 5 finalists. Monica Abbott is the only Lady Vol to win the award, doing so back in 2007.
Gregg was also recently named to the Preseason All-SEC team after becoming the program's 15th NFCA All-American with first-team honors last season and being named its fifth SEC Player of the Year. The senior shortstop had an outstanding junior season as the Lady Vols' top offensive players, ranking first on the team in batting average (.437), hits (73), RBIs (79), and home runs (15) last season. Gregg ranked second in the nation in RBIs and RBIs per game (1.32). Her .437 batting average ranked 10th among all NCAA Division I players and her 18 doubles tied for 13th. Gregg was also sixth in on-base percentage (.557) and 12th in slugging percentage (.838). She tied for eighth in total bases (140).
Gregg was selected as the SEC Player of the Year and a Top-3 Finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season. She also garnered NFCA Division I All-Southeast Region Team, All-SEC First Team, SEC All-Defensive Team and College Sports Madness Preseason All-American honors and she set Tennessee's single-season RBI record with 79 last season.
The preseason "Watch List" includes 23 seniors, 18 juniors and 9 sophomores, with freshman ineligible for consideration. (Freshman can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level). Athletes named to the "Watch List" represent 32 NCAA Division I universities and 13 athletic conferences. Oklahoma leads the way among universities with five athlete representatives, while Arizona and Oregon have four athletes on the "Watch List" apiece. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is also well-represented with eight member-schools, while five universities represent the Pac-12 Conference.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 25. While an athlete does not have to be on the "Watch List" to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced May 9 and the Top 3 announced May 23. The 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 29.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation's largest sports organizations, USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 69 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 150,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2 million. USA Softball is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USA Softball annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USA Softball umpire program is among the nation's largest and are widely known as the best-trained umpires in the game.
As the NGB for the sport of softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USA Softball, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.
About the NCAA Women's College World Series
USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field serves as the home to the NCAA Women's College World Series (WCWS). For the 28th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and compete for a national championship. Last year, over 70,000 fans attended the WCWS. Be there to Share The Experience with softball fans from across the country May 31-June 5/6 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2018 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here to purchase your tickets and secure your championship experience!
Players Mentioned
IF
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