Lindsay Crowdus Named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Finalist

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis senior outfielder Lindsay Crowdus continues to make Memphis history as she has been named a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Finalist Wednesday afternoon. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country.

"What a great honor for Lindsay to be recognized as a finalist for the National Player of the Year," said head coach Natalie Poole. "She truly deserves the recognition, as she has been a driving force in our offense this year. She is a tough out every time she steps up to the plate, and constantly gives our opponents a tough time trying to get her out. Add speed to the impressive batting average and on base percentage, and she is a force to be reckoned with. What is even more impressive is the fact that she just wants to be able to help her team be successful."

Now in its 16th year, previous recipients of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA Division I Softball, are UCLA catcher Stacey Nuveman (2002), Texas pitcher Cat Osterman (2003, 2005 and 2006), Florida State pitcher Jessica Van der Linden (2004), Tennessee pitcher Monica Abbott (2007), Virginia Tech pitcher Angela Tincher (2008), Washington pitcher Danielle Lawrie (2009 and 2010), Stanford shortstop Ashley Hansen (2011), Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (2012 and 2013), Florida State's Lacey Waldrop (2014), Florida's Lauren Haeger (2015) and Michigan's Sierra Romero (2016).

Starting from game one of the season, Crowdus has had a senior season that won't soon be forgotten. The Houma, La. native not only ranks second in the NCAA in batting average and third in hits this season, she has become the all-time record holder in many categories at Memphis.

With a .485 batting average, Crowdus has improved her already program-leading career average to .357 and has surpassed her previous season-high by 136 points. Against Tulsa a couple of weeks ago, Crowdus surpassed the previous program high of 207 career hits. Her 65 hits to-date is also now the most all-time in a season by any hitter at Memphis.

She has also earned multiple recognitions from the conference this season including a Player of the Week Honor on March 27.

Crowdus is the only American Athletic Conference representative on the USA Softball Player of the Year finalist list. Comprising this year's list of finalists includes 23 seniors, eight juniors, two sophomores and one freshman. The student-athletes selected represent 23 NCAA Division I universities and 11 athletic conferences. Arizona is the most represented university among the finalists, having five athletes making the list while Florida State follows with four athlete representatives. Florida, LSU, Michigan and Oregon each have two players represented. Alabama, Baylor, Cal Poly, Georgia, Idaho State, James Madison, Louisiana, Marshall, Memphis, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Syracuse, Tennessee, UCLA, Utah and Wisconsin each have one member among the finalists.

Prior to the start of post-season play, the list will be narrowed to the Top 10 Finalists on May 10. The Top 3 Finalists will be announced May 24, while the winner of the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be revealed on May 30 prior to the start of the NCAA WCWS in Oklahoma City.

Crowdus by the Numbers:
1 -        Where Crowdus ranks in The American in batting average, hits, triples, total bases, stolen bases, and on base percentage
2 -        Crowdus' ranking in batting average in all of Division I
3 -        Her ranking in hits in all of Division I
8 -        Number of triples she has hit this season
26 -      Crowdus has stolen a career-high 26 bases, which is tied for first in the American with her teammate, Kyler Trosclair.
65 -      Total number of hits she has recorded this season, which is a program record at Memphis
219 -    Career hits to-date, which is a program record at Memphis
.485 -   Her career-high .485 batting average is 136 points higher than her previous season-high set as a freshman in 2014

University of Memphis Athletics

Lindsay Crowdus Named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Finalist

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