Alabama softball’s Alexis Osorio is one of 50 players named to the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List, it was announced Wednesday.

This marks Osorio’s third-straight appearance on the preseason watch list, giving Alabama at least one player on the list every year since 2003, a stretch of 16-consecutive seasons. Osorio was one of 34 finalists for the award last season.

Alabama’s senior ace is one of 23 seniors on the list and one of 17 pitchers. Eight different SEC schools are represented on this year’s watch list, the most of any conference. The Player of the Year award, currently in its 17th season, is the most prestigious individual athletic honor in Division I softball. The list will be narrowed to a top 25 on April 25, with freshmen also eligible for addition to that list. From there, a top-10 list will be announced on May 9, a top 3 on May 23 and the winner will be announced on May 29 in Oklahoma City prior to the start of the Women’s College World Series.

Osorio and the Tide open the 2018 season Thursday, Feb. 8 against South Alabama in Mobile, Ala., before traveling to Gulf Shores, Ala., that weekend for the Sand Dollar Classic, where they will face Central Arkansas, Lamar, Penn State and Virginia Tech over three days, beginning Friday, Feb. 9.

For the latest information on the team, follow @AlabamaSB on Twitter, BamaSB on Instagram and Alabama Softball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.

More From Tide 100.9