Elena Bowman On USA Softball Top 50 ?Watch List?
MAAC Sports
RIVERDALE, NY – Manhattan College senior catcher Elena Bowman (San Mateo, CA) has been named to the Top 50 “Watch List” for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The most prestigious individual honor in college softball, the award is presented annually by USA Softball, the sport’s national governing body, and the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America. Bowman, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Player of the Year, was the only MAAC player selected.
“This is a very well-deserved honor for Elena,” Head Coach Tom Pardalis said. “I’ve always felt she was one of the best players in the nation, and she’s certainly proven it. Her numbers speak for themselves. I’m happy she’s getting some much-earned recognition heading into her senior year.”
Bowman was the unanimous MAAC Player of the Year last season after pacing the league in batting average (.448) and home runs (16), and tying for the conference lead in RBIs (41). Bowman also ranked among the top 10 nationally in on-base percentage (ninth, .586) and slugging percentage (10th, .920) in 2015. Defensively, she played every inning at catcher and didn’t commit an error in 266 chances.
In addition, she was named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America® First Team, becoming the first Jasper to earn Academic All-America® honors since 1994.
“I’m incredibly honored and humbled,” Bowman said. “It’s amazing to be included among such great names and have my hard work recognized to that degree.”
USA Softball will narrow the list to 25 finalists on April 13. That field of 25 will then be reduced to 10 on May 11 and three on May 25, with the winner being announced on May 31.
The Jaspers, who were picked third in the MAAC Preseason Poll, open the 2016 campaign at the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational in Madeira Beach, FL, from Feb. 19-21. Manhattan takes on Eastern Michigan and Villanova on the first day of the event.