Senior pitcher Stacey Nelson was named one of three finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award presented by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA). 

Arizona State senior Kaitlin Cochran and Washington junior Danielle Lawrie are the other finalists. The winner will be announced on May 26 at the Women's College World Series.

Nelson, a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year, has 131 career seventh-best all time.  She is second in SEC history, only behind Tennessee's Monica Abbott (189). This season, her 37-3 (.925) record is one of the best in the nation and her ERA (0.43) leads the country.  She is second in the country with 19 shutouts.  The right-hander leads the SEC in ERA, opposing batting average (.158), strikeouts (302), wins, fewest earned runs allowed (15),fewest home runs allowed (1).

The award recognizes outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past winners include UCLA's Stacey Nuveman, Florida State's Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman, Tennessee's Monica Abbott and Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher.

Nelson and the No. 1 seeded-Gators will face No. 14/16 California on May 23 and 24 in the NCAA Super Regionals in Gainesville.  The 8 p.m. game on Saturday will air on ESPN and the 6 p.m. game on Sunday (with a possible 8 p.m.game) will air on ESPN 2.