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OKLAHOMA CITY – Missouri Softball junior shortstop Jenna Laird was named to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, USA Softball announced Wednesday.
For Laird, it is her second-straight season being selected to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List.
Laird led the Tigers in 2022 for batting average (.338), doubles (11), triples (3), runs scored (44) and stolen bases (22) as she garnered 2022 NFCA Third Team All-Region honors.
The East Meadow, New York, native, was named to the 2022 SEC All-Tournament Team after she led the Tigers to the Championship Final, batting .500 over the four games. She was also selected to the 2022 All-SEC Second Team after posting a hitting line of .291/.519/.341 in conference play.
In the field, Laird was tabbed a 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove recipient for her play at shortstop. She posted a .975 fielding percentage, turning 10 double plays in total over 163 chances.
For Laird, it is her fourth 2023 preseason list as she has also been named to D1Softball’s Preseason D100 Players, Extra Inning Softball’s Extra Elite 100 College Player Rankings and Softball America’s 2023 Preseason Top 100.
The Top 50 Watch List highlights athletes from 26 universities and nine athletic conferences from across the country with Oklahoma leading the universities in recognition as eight Sooners join the list followed by Arkansas, Florida, and UCLA with three athletes apiece.
Additionally, 10 universities tabbed two athletes to the list while 12 collegiate programs are highlighted with one. Among the 50 athletes and returning to the spotlight of the prestigious award is 2022 Top 3 Finalist Baylee Klingler (Washington) as well as 2022 Top 10 Finalists Jordy Bahl (Oklahoma), Grace Lyons (Oklahoma), Kelly Maxwell (Oklahoma State), Sydney McKinney (Wichita State) and Danielle Williams (Northwestern).
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads the athletic conferences with 18 athletes included followed by the Big 12 Conference with 11, Pac-12 Conference with seven and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with six. Also represented is the American Athletic Conference (AAC) with three athletes and the Big Ten Conference with two while the Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference and Sun Belt Conference each showcase one athlete apiece.
Top 25 Finalists will be announced April 19 then Top 10 on May 3. The final three finalists will be announced on May 17 and the winner prior to the Women’s College World Series.
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For all the latest information on No. 23 ranked Mizzou Softball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@MizzouSoftball).
The 2023 team and Casidy Chaumont will be signing autographs on the concourse of Mizzou Arena by the student section ahead of Saturday’s men’s basketball game. 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Recipients Jenna Laird and Casidy Chaumont will be recognized during the first half of the game.
Fans can get their first glimpse of the team at the annual Black & Gold Game on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Devine Pavilion. First pitch is set for 12 p.m., CT and admission is free. Following the game, the Tigers will host the Black & Gold Banquet at 2:30 p.m., CT at the Walsworth Family Columns Club at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field. Registration is currently available online.
Missouri opens its 2023 campaign at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic Feb. 10-12 in Clearwater, Florida.
