Where Florida softball ranks among Most Outstanding Player winners in WCWS history

These are three names no Florida softball fan will ever forget.

The first year of the Women’s College World Series was way back in 1982 when the UCLA Bruins brought home the first-ever college softball national championship. Over a decade later in 1995, the Most Outstanding Player award — which is given to the best individual WCWS player each year — was created.

Since then, three members of the Florida Gators softball program have earned the highly-esteemed honor, with the first coming in 2011 when centerfielder Michelle Moultrie was co-MOP alongside Arizona State Sun Devil pitcher Dallas Escobedo. The other two were pitchers Hannah Rogers in 2014 and Lauren Haeger in 2015.

Take a look at the full list of award winners, courtesy of College Sports Wire.

Year Athlete Team Class Position
2022 Jocelyn Alo Oklahoma R-Senior DP
2021 Giselle Juarez Oklahoma R-Senior Pitcher
2020 Canceled due to COVID-19
2019 Rachel Garcia UCLA Senior Pitcher
2018 Jessie Warren Florida State Senior Third base
2017 Shay Knighten Oklahoma Sophomore First base
2016 Paige Parker Oklahoma Sophomore Pitcher
2015 Lauren Haeger Florida Senior Pitcher
2014 Hannah Rogers Florida Senior Pitcher
2013 Keilani Ricketts Oklahoma Senior Pitcher
2012 Jackie Traina Alabama Sophomore Pitcher
2011 Dallas Escobedo (co-MOP) Arizona St. Freshman Pitcher
2011 Michelle Moultrie (co-MOP) Florida Junior Centerfield
2010 Megan Langenfeld UCLA Senior Pitcher
2009 Danielle Lawrie Washington Junior Pitcher
2008 Katie Burkhart Arizona State Senior Pitcher
2007 Tayrne Mowatt Arizona Junior Pitcher
2006 Alicia Hollowell Arizona Senior Pitcher
2005 Samantha Findlay Michigan Freshman First base
2004 Kristin Schmidt LSU Senior Pitcher
2003 Keira Goerl UCLA Senior Pitcher
2002 Jocelyn Forest California Senior Pitcher
2001 Jennie Finch Arizona Senior Pitcher
2000 Jennifer Stewart Oklahoma Sophomore Pitcher
1999 Julie Adams UCLA Junior Third base
1998 Amanda Scott Fresno State Sophomore Pitcher
1997 Nancy Evans Arizona Junior Pitcher
1996 Jenny Dalton Arizona Senior Second base
1995 Tanya Harding UCLA Junior Pitcher

The road to the WCWS starts May 19 with Regionals taking place across 16 campus sites. Each site will have a four-team, double-elimination tournament with the 16 winning teams advancing to super regionals. Super regionals are May 25-28 on eight campus sites. The two teams at each site will play in a best-of-three tournament format.

The winners from each super regional then advance to the Women’s College World Series. The WCWS takes place on Jun. 1 at OGE Energy Field at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Sooners are looking to defend its 2022 national title.

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