USA Softball released their list of the 25 finalists for their player of the year award. Two Georgia softball players are on that list.
The USA Softball program recently narrowed down their list of the best collegiate players to 25, and two Georgia softball stars are on that list. Alyssa DiCarlo and Cortni Emanuel join the final 25 that include five other players from the SEC.
Emanuel was the only one of the pair, and the only Bulldog on the top-50 watch list. Monday night, the USSSA Pride of National Professional Fastpitch drafted her in the fourth round, 23rd overall. Brittany Gray was the other Bulldog drafted. She likely didn’t make the top-25 because of her season ending injury.
Emanuel has started all 47 games this season and she has maintained a team leading .433 average. In fact, her career average is well over .400. She also leads the team in runs scored (54), hits (71) and stolen bases (42). Emanuel was also a finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year in 2017 and 2016.
DiCarlo is the best slugger on the team with a team leading 16 home runs and a slugging percentage of .822. She’s also second on the team with 14 doubles and third with a .384 batting average and 56 hits.
Earlier this year, she broke Florida’s hearts with a walk-off home run in the series opener and three total home runs in a series the Dawgs won two games to one. If she doesn’t make the top 10 or top 3 cut, she’ll have another chance next year. She’s just a junior this year and she’ll be one of the teams leaders in 2019.
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USA Softball will narrow that list to 10 players on May 9 and down to three on May 23. USA Softball will name the 2018 Collegiate Player of the Year on May 29 shortly before the ending of the College World Series.