April 9, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama softball players Brittany Rogers and Charlotte Morgan were among 25 finalists announced on Wednesday by the Amateur Softball Association for the 2008 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award.

The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year is considered one of the most prestigious honors in women's collegiate softball. It is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.

A junior from Dacula, Ga., Rogers patrols center field for the Crimson Tide while leading the nation with 40 stolen bases. She ranks fifth nationally in batting average (.472) and third in runs per game (1.18 pg/45) from her leadoff spot.

Morgan, a sophomore from Moreno Valley, Calif., is a dual threat for the Tide with a .417 batting average and a SEC-best 48 RBI that ranks third nationally. She also boasts a 9-0 record in the circle with a 1.10 ERA and a .196 opponent batting average.

Alabama is one of six schools, and the only Southeastern Conference program, to have multiple finalists. Arizona State leads the way with three, while UCLA, Michigan, Oklahoma and Stanford all have two finalists each.

Alabama begins a seven-game road trip at Troy on Thursday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. The Crimson Tide then ventures to Auburn for a three-game SEC series that gets underway on Saturday, April 12, at 1 p.m. from Jane B. Moore Field.