Jan. 28, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY -
On the same day that she was named a preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference selection, junior infielder Kara Nelson (Moline, Ill./Moline HS) received even more preseason recognition Wednesday, this time in the form of a prestigious national honor. Nelson was named to the initial Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Top-50 Watch List for the Eighth Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award.
The honor marks the second-straight year that Nelson has been named to the initial ASA Player of the Year Watch List. She earned the same honor prior to the start of the 2008 season after she set an Illinois State single-season record for hits with 90 as a freshman in 2007 during a season in which she batted .415.
The honor also marks the third-straight season that a Redbird softball player has been named to the initial ASA Player of the Year Watch List. Current senior pitcher/first baseman Amber Smith earned the distinction at the start of the 2007 season following her breakout rookie campaign at Illinois State.
Nelson is on a list that is comprised of 50 student-athletes representing 32 schools and 13 different NCAA Division I conferences. She is the only player from the Missouri Valley Conference represented on the preseason player of the year watch list.
A total of seven players from one of Illinois State's 2009 opponents are listed on the watch list. The award is considered one of the most prestigious honors in women's collegiate softball, and is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players from across the country.
The Moline, Ill., native led the Missouri Valley Conference last season in batting average (.401) and triples (7), while she ranked second in the conference in slugging percentage (.632) and on-base percentage (.468). Her seven triples last season ranked 10th in the nation and were more than six Valley schools had as an entire team in 2008.
For her efforts, Nelson earned her second-straight first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection. She was also a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Great Lakes Region First-Team honoree, a State Farm MVC All-Tournament selection and a member of the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team.
Illinois State will open its 2009 season Friday, Feb. 6, at the USF Louisville Slugger Tournament in Tampa, Fla. The Redbirds are slated to open the tournament at 10 a.m. CST Feb. 6 against Florida Gulf Coast.
For more information about the Illinois State softball team or about Illinois State Athletics, please visit GoRedbirds.com.
