DePaul University

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- DePaul’s Amber Patton has been selected as one of the 25 finalists for the 8th Annual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honors in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.

Patton, who leads DePaul and the BIG EAST Conference with a .482 average, has recorded multiple hits in 12 of the Blue Demon’s 24 games this season.  A three-time All-BIG EAST selection at third base, Patton has won DePaul’s batting title the last three seasons.  The lefty slapper is currently on an eight-game hitting streak and averages 1.71 hits per contest.  This season, the senior from Forsyth, Ill. has earned BIG EAST Player of the Week  accolades twice, while she is a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

The Top 25 list represents 17 schools and seven different NCAA Division I Conferences. The list is comprised of nine seniors, 12 juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. The 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be chosen from the 25 finalists. 

Past winners of this award include three-time winner and DePaul assistant coach Cat Osterman along with UCLA’s Stacey Nuveman, Florida State’s Jessica Van der Linden, and Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher.

Just days before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 6. The three finalists will be announced May 20th while the winner of the 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2009 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

The Blue Demons (17-7, 5-0 BIG EAST) host a pair of BIG EAST doubleheaders this weekend.  DePaul and Seton Hall tangle on Saturday at noon, while Pittsburgh comes to town for an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Sunday. 

Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi State) Junior Catcher/Infield Cordova, Tenn.
Stacey Chambers (Arizona) Junior Catcher Glendale, Az.
Ashley Charters (Washington) Senior - Infield Beaverton, Ore.
Kaitlin Cochran (Arizona State) - Senior- Outfield - Yorba Linda, Calif.
Kelsi Dunne (Alabama) Sophomore Pitcher Port Orange, Fla.
Francesca Enea (Florida) Junior Outfield Woodland Hills, Calif.
Amber Flores (Oklahoma) Junior Infield Calexico, Calif.
Alisa Goler (Georgia) Sophomore Infield Frankfort, Ill.
Alissa Haber (Stanford) Junior Outfield- Newark, Calif.
Ashley Hansen (Stanford) Freshman Infield Chandler, Az.
Tiffany Huff (Tennessee) Junior Catcher/First Base Saugus, Calif.
Cheyenne Jenks (Florida Gulf Coast) Senior Infield Naples, Fla.
Brittany Lastrapes (Arizona) Sophomore Outfield - Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Danielle Lawrie (Washington) Junior - Pitcher Langley, British Columbia
Jenae Leles (Arizona) Senior Third Base Fair Oaks, Calif.
Sam Marder (Ohio State) Junior Catcher - Calabasas, Calif.
Charlotte Morgan (Alabama) Junior Pitcher/Utility Moreno Valley, Calif.
Stacey Nelson (Florida) Senior Pitcher Los Alamitos, Calif.
Nikki Nemitz (Michigan) Junior Pitcher St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Amber Patton (DePaul) Senior Third Base - Forsyth, Ill.
Missy Penna (Stanford) Senior Pitcher/Infield Miami, Fla. 
Brittany Rogers (Alabama) Senior Outfield - Dacula, Ga.
Kaila Shull  (UCLA) Junior Catcher/Outfield Lodi, Calif.
Danielle Spaulding (North Carolina) Junior First Base/Pitcher - Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Tammy Williams (Northwestern) Senior Infield - Roscoe, Mo.