Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Prier on SB Watch List

The JSU softball team, already picked as the favorite to win the Ohio Valley Conference title, continues to get recognized on a national level.

The Gamecocks were just nosed out of making the top 25 in both major polls -- they were 27th in both -- and on Wednesday, first baseman Nikki Prier, the reigning OVC Player of the Year, was named among the 50 players on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year watch list.

Prier is one of 27 seniors on the preliminary list for the ninth annual award. The list will be cut to 25 on April 7, and pared twice more before a winner will be announced prior to the start of the 2010 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Prier led the OVC in hitting (.379), doubles (20), RBIs (50) and total bases (125). She ranks second on JSU's career doubles list (51), fourth in RBIs (122) and sixth in homers (30).

JSU officials confirmed earlier in the week they were working on multi-year contracts for softball coach Jana McGinnis and volleyball coach Rick Nold.

Both coaches guided their teams to NCAA regional tournament success in their most recent seasons, McGinnis taking the softball team to the Super Regionals and Nold taking the volleyball team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament win.

When the contracts are signed, they will give the Gamecocks seven head coaches with multi-year deals -- Jack Crowe (football), James Green (basketball), Becky Geyer (women's basketball), Jim Case (baseball) and Julie Davis Carlson (soccer).

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