By Joshua Huff

[email protected]

UK softball pitcher Kelsey Nunley became only the second player in UK history to be named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List, on Wednesday.

Nunley is one of 50 players across the nation to be named to the watch list. The distinguished honor represents the second time a UK player has been added to the list. All-American Molly Johnson-Belcher, now an assistant coach at UK, was the first UK player to be added.

The right-hander went 30-11 with a 1.88 earned run average for a UK team that went 50-19 in 2014. The Cats played in the Women’s College World Series for the first time in program history last season, but lost a heartbreaker to Baylor, which eliminated UK.

The top 25 finalists for the Player of the Year award will be announced April 8; the top 10 will be announced May 6 and the award winner will be announced on May 26.

The season for UK begins next Thursday against Florida A&M in Tallahassee, Fla.