May 25, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Stanford junior shortstop Ashley Hansen is among the three finalists for USA Softball's Collegiate Player of the Year award announced the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) today. Hansen is the first player in program history to be a top-3 finalist for the prestigious award.
The other two finalists are Arizona State's Katelyn Boyd and Missouri's Chelsea Thomas. The award, which is considered the top honor in collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by players across the country. Past winners of the award, in its 10th year, include UCLA's Stacey Nuveman, Florida State's Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee's Monica Abbott, Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher and two-time winner Washington's Danielle Lawrie.
Hansen is putting up career offensive numbers this season. She leads the nation in doubles per game (0.45), while ranking second in batting average (.500) and eighth in on-base percentage (.562). In the Pac-10, Hansen leads all players in batting average, on-base percentage, hits (92) and doubles (25). The Chandler, Ariz., native has tallied 28 multi-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games so far this season.
Just a junior, Hansen already ranks among the top-10 in school history in career hits (8th), doubles (3rd), triples (t2nd), RBI (8th) and runs scored (7th).
Hansen and the Cardinal are 41-15 overall and finished fifth in the Pac-10 with a 10-11 mark. No. 15 seed Stanford takes on No. 2 seed Alabama in the Tuscaloosa Super Regional, May 26-27 at Rhoads Stadium. The winner of the best-of-three series will advance to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The winner of the 2011 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced on May 31 prior to the start of the 2011 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.