Honnold and Laird Featured on 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List

OKLAHOMA CITY — University of Missouri Softball players and 2024 Preseason All-SEC selections Alex Honnold and Jenna Laird were featured on the Top 50 Watch List for the 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced Wednesday. 

The prestigious award aims to recognize outstanding athletic achievement across Division I female collegiate softball players from across the nation.

Mizzou was one eight universities to have two athletes on the list. The SEC led athletic conferences with 21 athletes included.

Alex Honnold

Honnold, a senior center fielder, led Mizzou in on-base percentage (.539), slugging percentage (.779), runs (52), batting average (.396) and triples (three) during the 2023 season as she was named a Top 25 Finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year and awarded NFCA Second-Team All-American honors.

The West Des Moines, Iowa, two-hole hitter, was also named to the 2023 All-SEC Second Team, posting 19 multi-hit games, and leading the Tigers with 14 home runs.

Honnold has now been listed on four preseason rankings ahead of the 2024 campaign as she appeared on both Softball America’s (Jan. 22, #19) and D1Softball’s Preseason Top 100 rankings (Jan. 18, #47) and the 2024 Preseason All-SEC Team.

Jenna Laird 

Laird was named to the 2023 All-SEC Second Team as she paced Missouri with 198 at-bats, 52 runs and 70 hits as the Tigers’ leadoff hitter. Laird knocked 12 doubles in 2023, while leading Mizzou on the basepaths, going 30-for-34 on stolen bases.

The East Meadow, New York, senior shortstop, registered a .978 fielding percentage with 76 putouts, 104 assists and 11 double plays. 

For Laird, the preseason list is her second ahead of the 2024 season as she was featured 61st on D1Softball’s Preseason D100 Player Rankings (Jan. 18).

The Top 25 Finalists for the 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced on May 1. While an athlete does not have to be on the 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 revealed May 15 with the Top 3 being released May 20. The 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS).

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Missouri opens its 2024 campaign at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic Feb. 9-11 in Clearwater, Florida.

Season ticket renewals and new season tickets are currently available at mutigers.com/sbtix.