IRVING, Texas – South Florida senior pitcher Georgina Corrick and Wichita State junior infielder Sydney McKinney were two of 50 players named to the 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List, as announced by USA Softball on Wednesday. Corrick, the reigning three-time American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, was named to the preseason watch list for the third straight year and is the fourth pitcher representing The American to be included on the preseason USA Softball watch list in the last five seasons, alongside Emily Watson from Tulsa in 2018 and Savannah Heebner from Houston in 2019. McKinney, the 2021 American Softball Player of the Year, landed on the top 50 watch list for the first time.
 
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced on April 20. While an athlete does not have to be on the Top 50 “Watch List” to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. The Top 10 Finalists will be announced on May 4 and the Top 3 announced on May 18. The 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed prior to the start of the NCAA Women’s College World Series.
 
Corrick earned her second straight NFCA All-America scroll as a member of the 2021 third team, to go along with a second-team nod in 2019. She was the third South Florida pitcher to be named NFCA All-America in The American since 2014, along with Sara Nevins (2014 third team) and Erica Nunn (2016 second team). McKinney became the first NFCA All-American in Wichita State program history after joining Corrick on the 2021 NFCA Third Team.
 
Corrick captured an unprecedented third consecutive pitcher of the year honor in The American, joining only Watson of Tulsa (2017) as unanimous American Pitcher of the Year selections. In 39 appearances (33 starts) in the circle during the 2021 season, Corrick compiled a 24-9 record and 0.98 ERA with three saves. She fashioned 28 complete games and 15 solo shutouts, limiting opposing batters to a .150 batting average against while striking out 333 hitters to just 51 walks issued.
 
Corrick turned in one of the most impressive conference performances in league history with a 12-2 mark and a 0.41 ERA in 103.1 innings pitched over 17 American appearances (14 starts) in 2021. Her 129 strikeouts and .110 batting average against both established conference single-season records, with her ERA the second-lowest in conference games in American history. Corrick was also the first pitcher in American history with no-hitters on back-to-back days after blanking East Carolina on April 30 and May 1.
 
McKinney shined as the everyday shortstop for 2021 American champion Wichita State, earning league player of the year accolades after putting together an elite season at the plate. She batted .439 with 87 hits, seven home runs, 31 RBI, a .616 slugging percentage, a .477 on-base percentage and 56 runs scored in 55 starts during the campaign. McKinney batted a phenomenal .471 (24-of-51) with runners in scoring position to lead all Wichita State hitters.
 
McKinney also completed a historic league offensive season in conference play, narrowly missing The American single-season record with a .529 batting average in 24 starts. She did establish top all-time conference marks for hits (46), runs scored (34) and total bases (67) in league matchups. McKinney safely reached base in her first 23 conference games played during the 2021 regular season, finishing the league slate with 17 multi-hit outings.
 
Corrick was previously one of 26 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award in 2019, becoming just the fourth player in the history of The American recognized as a national player of the year finalist. Corrick joined Lindsay Crowdus from Memphis (top 25 in 2017), Shelby Turnier from UCF (top 10 in 2015) and Nevins from South Florida (top 25 in 2014) as national player of the year finalists representing the conference.
 
2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player Of The Year Top 50 Watch List
 
Georgina Corrick, Sr., RHP, South Florida
Sydney McKinney, Jr., IF, Wichita State