Feb. 1, 2013

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Senior B.B. Bates and sophomore Stephany LaRosa are two of 50 players named to the Watch List for the 2013 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, as announced by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America on Friday.

Now in its 12th year, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award is designed to recognize outstanding achievements by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past recipients of the POY award include former Bruin Stacey Nuveman (2002).

While an athlete does not have to be on the Watch List to be considered for the Top 25 list, which will be announced on April 10, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 finalists. The Top 10 finalists will be announced May 8 and the top three will be announced on May 22. On May 28 prior to the start of the 2013 Women's College World Series, the POY will be revealed.

Bates was named All-Pac-12 Conference First Team and Second Team NFCA All-West Region in 2012 after finishing second on the squad with 48 runs batted in, third with 14 home runs and fourth with a .360 batting average. Bates was also third in slugging (.686), total bases (118), doubles (12), walks (27) and stolen bases (7), and fourth in hits (62) and runs scored (42).

LaRosa was an NFCA First Team All-American and All-Region selection a year ago, also earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and All-Pac-12 First Team honors. She led the Bruins in 2012 with a .436 batting average, 17 home runs and 61 runs batted in. LaRosa was also tops on the squad in total bases (146), hits (79), slugging (.807), sacrifice flies (4), multiple-hit games (25) and multi-RBI contests (16).

The Bruins open up the 2013 season next Friday, Feb. 8, hosting the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament at Easton Stadium. UCLA faces Wright State (4:30 p.m.) and Texas A&M (7 p.m.) on Friday, Feb. 8, McNeese State (4:30 p.m.) and Wright State (7 p.m.) on Saturday, Feb. 9 and Texas A&M (11:30 a.m.) on Sunday, Feb. 10.