Feb. 3, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Senior All-American Dani Miller was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year watch list, it was announced earlier this week. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country.
An infielder from Huntington Beach, Calif., Miller was named to the NFCA’s All-America third team in 2011 after copping a third straight all-region honor. As a junior, the slugger belted 11 home runs to become the first player in school history to smack double-digit home runs in the first three seasons with the program.
Miller hit .333 on the year and drove in 37 runs with a .563 slugging percentage. Most impressively, she did not commit an error in 210 chances while playing both first and second base for the Irish. Miller was named to the third team at the utility position.
The preseason list includes 23 seniors, 20 juniors and seven sophomores, with freshmen ineligible for consideration. (Freshmen can be considered for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level.)
The top 25 finalists for the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 11.
USA Softball named Miller to its watch list just days after releasing its preseason top 25 poll. Notre Dame was ranked 25th in the poll, the highest of any BIG EAST Conference team.
Notre Dame received 12 votes in the USA Today / NFCA preseason rankings, four spots outside of its top 25.
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