OKLAHOMA CITY — For the first time in her career, South Florida’s Astin Donovan (Guilford, Conn.) has landed the Week 11 USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball announced today. The sophomore had her best weekends of the season, putting on three, multi-hit performances against Tulsa while helping lead her team to a 3-1 record on the week.
“I was not expecting to be recognized, so it is an honor to be selected as a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week,” said Donovan. “I felt like I had some really good at-bats this weekend and I felt better than I have most of the season. I was really calm and confident at the plate and seeing the ball really well. I had a clear plan in mind as to what I wanted to do when I was at the plate but at the same time, I was just trying to get on base to help my team produce runs. We’re continuing to work hard to achieve our team goals.”
Donovan recorded multi-hit games over the weekend as then-No. 20 South Florida went 3-0 in an American Athletic Conference (AAC) series at Tulsa. Donovan also recorded one of the Bulls’ four hits in a non-conference matchup against in-state rival No. 1 Florida. Starting the week against the Gators, Donovan recorded a single in a closely-fought contest as South Florida fell 3-0. In the series opener against Tulsa, Donovan recorded two hits as the Bulls walked away with a 2-0, shutout win. She followed up with another strong performance in game two of the series, finishing the game 2-for-3, while acting as the spark for a one-out rally as the Bulls trailed 6-1 in the fifth inning. Reaching base safely with a single, Donovan would come around to score to help fuel a five-run outing. In their final game of the series, Donovan was once again 2-for-3 while picking up an RBI. With the bases loaded, Donovan hit a double deep to right field to plate a run.
“Hard work pays off and no one exemplifies that better than Astin,” said South Florida Head Coach Ken Eriksen. “It’s nice to see that her team approach to playing the game is recognized.”
For the week, Donovan had a .636 batting average (7-for-11) and a .727 slugging percentage. She recorded a double and had eight total bases on the week while scoring a run and adding an RBI. This marks the first USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week honors for Donovan and the first for an athlete from South Florida since Week 5 of the 2012 season when southpaw Sara Nevins received the award.
2016 USA Softball National Collegiate Players of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 11-14): Lexie Elkins – Louisiana-Lafayette - Senior - Catcher – Victoria, Texas
Week 2 (Feb. 15-21): Jailyn Ford – James Madison - Senior - Pitcher – Hot Springs, Va.
Week 3 (Feb. 22-28): Sierra Hyland – Cal Poly - Junior - Pitcher – Visalia, Calif.
Co-Week 4 (Feb. 29-March 6): Molly Hutchison – NC State - Junior – C/OF – San Diego, Calif.
Co-Week 4 (Feb. 29-March 6): Sierra Romero – Michigan - Senior - Infield – Murrieta, Calif.
Week 5 (March 7-13): Bianka Bell – LSU - Senior - Infield – Tampa, Fla.
Week 6 (March 14-20): Hannah Day – Troy - Senior - Outfield – Crestview, Fla.
Week 7 (March 21-27): Holly Speers – Kent State - Sophomore - Infield – Surrey, B.C.
Week 8 (March 28-April 3): Jessie Hufstetler – San José State - Senior - Infield – Atascadero, Calif.
Week 9 (April 4-10): Paige Parker – Oklahoma - Sophomore - Pitcher – Independence, Mo.
Week 10 (April 11-17): Delanie Gourley – Florida - Junior - Pitcher – Lakeside, Calif.
Week 11 (April 18-24): Astin Donovan – South Florida - Sophomore - Outfield – Guilford, Conn.
About ASA/USA Softball
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.2 million. ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com.
About the NCAA Women’s College World Series
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field serves as the home to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS). For the 26th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and compete for a national championship. Last year, over 78,000 fans attended the WCWS. Be there to Share The Experience with softball fans from across the country June 2-8 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2016 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here to purchase your tickets and secure your championship experience!