Florida senior centerfielder Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) and sophomore ace Hannah Rogers (Lake Wales, Fla.), both 2011 All-Americans and All-SEC selections, have been recognized as two of 25 NCAA softball players in contention for USA Softball’s 2012 Collegiate Player of the Year.

Initially named to the Top 50 Watch List in February, the two Gators were selected Wednesday as the list was cut in half to 25 finalists. A list of 10 finalists will be announced on May 9, prior to the start of postseason play. The top three finalists will be announced May 23, while the winner of this year’s Player of the Year Award will be revealed on May 29, prior to the start of the NCAA WCWS in Oklahoma City. 

Both Gators have been instrumental in No. 3/4 Florida’s success through the first portion of the season, leading UF to a 35-5 overall record and a 15-2 league record to place the Gators atop the SEC standings heading into this weekend’s play.

Rogers and Moultrie have each worked their way to the top of the NCAA standings in their respective specialties. Individually, Rogers holds a top-five spot in the NCAA in two categories: second in ERA (0.86) and fifth in victories (20), while ranking 11th in shutouts (8) and 12th in saves (3). Moultrie ranks fifth in the country with 1.26 runs per game and her four triples on the year place her 11th of all NCAA student-athletes.

Just last week, Moultrie received another accolade as one of 10 finalists for this year’s Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Fan voting for the award is open through May 14 and Gator fans are encouraged to vote once each day. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I softball head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

In addition to Moultrie and Rogers, Florida junior catcher Brittany Schutte (Fountain Valley, Calif.) was named to the Top 50 Watch List for the second-consecutive season. Last year, Gator seniors Stephanie Brombacher and Megan Bush were Top 25 finalists for the award, while current Stanford senior Ashley Hansen was named the 2011 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year prior to the start of the Women’s College World Series in June.

The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award is voted on by coaching representatives from 11 Division I Conferences in the 15 ASA Regions as well as members of the media who consistently cover Division I Softball across the country.

2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalists
Name (School) – Year – Position – Hometown

Valerie Arioto (California) – Senior – Utility – Pleasanton, Calif.

Lexy Bennett (Texas) – Senior – Infield – Kingwood, Texas

Katelyn Boyd (Arizona State) – Senior – Shortstop – Phoenix, Ariz.

Kayla Braud (Alabama) – Junior – Outfield – Eugene, Ore.

Lauren Chamberlain  (Oklahoma) – Freshman – Infield – Trabuco Canyon, Calif.

Raven Chavanne (Tennessee) – Junior – Third base/Outfield – Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Rachele Fico (LSU) – Junior – Pitcher – Oxford, Conn.

Ashley Hansen (Stanford) – Senior – Infield – Chandler, Ariz.

Jolene Henderson (California) – Junior – Pitcher/First base – Elk Grove, Calif.

Kaitlin Inglesby (Washington) – Sophomore – Pitcher/First Base – Portland, Ore.

Ashley McClain (FIU) – Senior – Outfield/Pitcher – Brandon, Fla.

Michelle Moultrie (Florida) – Senior – Center field – Jacksonville, Fla.

Sara Nevins (South Florida) – Sophomore – Pitcher – Pinellas Park, Fla.

Christi Orgeron (ULL) – Senior – Outfield – New Orleans, La.

Sara Plourde (UMass) – Senior – Pitcher – Bristol, Conn.

Kimi Pohlman (Washington) – Senior – Outfield – Sammamish, Wash.

Jamia Reid (California) – Senior – Outfield – Buena Park, Calif.

Ellen Renfroe (Tennessee) – Sophomore – Pitcher – Jackson, Tenn.

Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma) – Junior – Pitcher – San Jose, Calif.

Hannah Rogers (Florida) – Sophomore – Pitcher – Lake Wales, Fla.

Jordan Rutkowski (Valparaiso) – Senior – Catcher/Outfield – Alden, N.Y.

Jessica Shults (Oklahoma) – Junior – Catcher – Valencia, Calif.

Chelsea Thomas (Missouri) – Redshirt Junior – Pitcher – Pleasantville, Iowa

Jackie Traina (Alabama) – Sophomore – Pitcher/Designated player – Naples, Fla.

Delaney Willard (BYU) – Senior – Outfield – Camarillo, Calif.