Oklahoma City, Okla. - The Amateur Softball Association, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, has released its initial "Watch List" for the 7th Annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award. University of Hawai`i senior pitcher/first baseman, Kate Robinson was one of 50 athletes selected to the watch list. It is the first time in program history that a Rainbow Wahine softball player has made the list.

This award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in women's collegiate softball, was created to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Past winners of this award include UCLA's Stacey Nuveman, Florida State's Jessica Van der Linden, three-time winner Texas pitcher Cat Osterman and 2007 winner Monica Abbott of Tennessee.

The 2008 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 34 schools and 14 different NCAA Division I Conferences. Robinson is the sole representative from the Western Athletic Conference.

The ASA will announce the 25 finalists on April 9. A player does not have to appear on the initial watch list to be considered as a Top 25 finalist, but once the Top 25 is named the remaining finalist must be selected from that list.

Just days before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 7. The final three finalists will be announced May 21 while the winner of the 2008 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2008 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Robinson was voted 2008 WAC Preseason Player of the Year earlier this month. Last season, the senior from Honolulu, O`ahu and Kamehameha Schools, earned WAC Pitcher of the Year honors after going a perfect 8-0 in conference play. She had a break-out season both on the mound and at the plate in 2007. She set a new school single-season record with 19 home runs and shattered the old-RBI record of 48 by driving in 72 runs. Robinson was seventh in the nation in RBI with 1.13 per game and 16th with .30 home runs per game. Overall, Robinson hit .358 (67-for-187) with 37 runs scored, 13 doubles, and had a slugging percentage of .733. She had career highs in almost every offensive and pitching statistical category.

As a pitcher, Robinson went 17-1 overall with a 2.01 ERA in 136.0 innings pitched. She struck out 101 batters while walking just 23. She fired eight shutouts and 16 complete games on the year while holding opponents to a .225 batting average. She notched wins over several Top 25 teams including No. 1 Tennessee, No. 13 UCLA, No. 25 Fresno State and California, plus she earned victories over two other 2007 Women's College World Series' teams DePaul and Baylor.

UH plays Chaminade on Feb. 8-9 in split-squad scrimmages before officially opening the 2008 season with the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic, Feb. 14-17. Hawai`i's first game is slated against Kentucky, Feb. 14 at 6:00 pm.

2008 USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List
Name - School - Year - Position - Hometown
Callista Balko (Arizona) - Senior - Catcher - Tucson, Ariz.
Brandice Balschmiter (Massachusetts) - Junior - Pitcher - Manasquan, N.J.
Chelsea Bramlett (Mississippi State) - Sophomore - Catcher/Infield - Cordova, Tenn
Savannah Brown (Georgia Tech) - Senior - Catcher/Third Base - San Diego, Calif.
Katie Burkhart (Arizona State) - Senior - Pitcher - San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Tonya Callahan (Tennessee) - Senior - Infield - Holden, Mo.
Ashley Charters (Washington) - Senior - Infield - Beaverton, Ore.
Kaitlin Cochran (Arizona State) - Junior - Outfield - Yorba Linda, Calif.
Krista Colburn (UCLA) - Senior - Outfield - Mukilteo, Wash.
Meagan Denny (Texas) - Senior - Pitcher - Crowley, Texas
Lauren Eckermann (Oklahoma) - Senior - Pitcher - Brenham, Texas
Cristi Ecks (South Florida) - Junior - Pitcher - Manassas, Va.
Angela Findlay (Michigan) - Sophomore - Outfield - Lockport, Ill.
Samantha Findlay (Michigan) - Senior - First Base - Lockport, Ill.
Rachel Folden (Marshall) - Senior - Catcher/Utility - Baldwin Park, Calif.
Megan Gibson (Texas A&M) - Senior - Pitcher/First Base - Spring, Texas
Alissa Haber (Stanford) - Sophomore - Outfield- Newark, Calif.
Whitney Haller (Georgia Tech) - Junior - First Base - Marietta, Ga.
Molly Hill (Nebraska) - Junior - Pitcher - Wayne, Neb.
Dani Hofer (LSU) - Junior - Pitcher - Safety Harbor, Fla.
Becca Heteniak (DePaul) - Sophomore - Pitcher - Simi Valley, Calif.
Tiffany Huff (Tennessee) - Sophomore - Catcher/First Base - Saugus, Calif.
Carley Hughes (UNC Wilmington) - Junior - Catcher - Pittsboro, N.C.
Annie Kinsey (Pennsylvania) - Senior - Second Base - West Hills, Calif.
Sam Marder (Ohio State) - Sophomore - Catcher - Calabasas, Calif.
Cambria Miranda (Oregon State) - Senior - Second Base- Camarillo, Calif.
Taryne Mowatt (Arizona) - Senior - Pitcher - Corona, Calif.
Kara Nelson (Illinois State) - Sophomore - Third Base - Moline, Ill.
Stacey Nelson (Florida) - Junior - Pitcher - Los Alamitos, Calif.
Emily Nichols (Iowa) - Senior - Catcher/Infield - Portland, Ore.
Chrissy Owens (Alabama) - Senior - Pitcher - Miami, Fla.
Lauren Parker (Alabama) - Junior - Infield - Port Neches, Texas
Nicole Pauly (Northwestern) - Sophomore - Infield - Palatine, Ill.
Missy Penna (Stanford) - Junior - Pitcher/Utility - Miami, Fla.
Melissa Pura (Cal Poly) - Junior - Shortstop - Salinas, Calif.
Brette Reagan (Baylor) - Junior - Third Base - Magnolia, Texas
Amanda Renth (Missouri) - Junior - Infield - Mascoutah, Ill.
Samantha Ricketts (Oklahoma) - Junior - First Base - San Jose, Calif.
Kate Robinson (Hawaii) - Senior - Pitcher/First Base - Honolulu, Hawaii
Killian Roessner (LSU) - Senior - Catcher - Manasquan, N.J.
Brittany Rogers (Alabama) - Junior - Outfield - Dacula, Ga.
Amanda Scarborough (Texas A&M) - Senior - Pitcher/First Base - Magnolia, Texas
Anjelica Selden (UCLA) - Senior - Pitcher - Vacaville, CA
Kirsten Shortridge (Baylor) - Sophomore - Pitcher/Outfield- Keller, Texas
Holly Tankersley (Louisiana-Lafayette) - Senior - Designated Player - Kirbyville, Texas
Angela Tincher (Virginia Tech) - Senior - Pitcher - Eagle Rock, Va.
Jessica Valis (Houston) - Junior - Shortstop - Shiner, Texas
Sandy Vojik (DePaul) - Senior - Utility - Riverside, Ill.
Kim Waleszonia (Florida) - Junior - Utility - Fontana, Calif.
Tammy Williams (Northwestern) - Junior - Infield - Roscoe, Mo.