Initially, the field was narrowed down to just ten Division 1 players for the prestigious 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. And now, the field was again narrowed to the Top 3 finalists. The award “aims to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by Division I softball players over the course of the entire season.”
Surprisingly, despite having three players in the Top 10 list, softball powerhouse Oklahoma players were not among the Top 3.
The finalists include Clemson’s Valerie Cagle (ACC), UCLA’s Maya Brady (Pac-12), and Florida’s Skylar Wallace (SEC). Each of these players will be in regional play this weekend.
Clemson’s Valerie Cagle
Cagle was named a USA Softball Top 10 Finalist in 2021 and is a two-time ACC player of the year. She was also named the freshman of the year in 2021. Cagle is a two-way player and has shined on and off the mound. She has a .457 batting average, .889 slugging percentage and 23 wins in the circle which places her at No. 11 on the NCAA leaderboard.
UCLA’s Maya Brady
There have only been two UCLA players to win the award. With Rachel Garcia (2017-21) winning the award twice, in 2019 and 2018, and Stacey Nuveman in 2002. Brady won the 2023 Pac-12 batting title with a .456 average following all conference regular-season games and was named the 2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year.
Florida’s Skylar Wallace
Rounding out the finalists is Florida’s Skylar Wallace. She is the 2023 SEC Player of the Year and a three-time SEC Player of the Week. She has a 1.036 slugging percentage which ranks first in the nation. Additionally, her .460 batting average is fifth in the nation.
The player of the year will be announced on May 30 at the athlete banquet prior to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS).