OKLAHOMA CITY – Virginia Tech softball's Keely Rochard has been named to the 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List, released Wednesday afternoon.
The senior is among 50 student-athletes on the preseason watch list, making an appearance on the list for the second straight season.
The Top 25 Finalists for the 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 20. 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 4 with the Top 3 being released May 18. The 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the NCAA Women's College World Series.
Returning for her final season after a dominating 2021 season, Rochard looks to lead the Hokies in the circle in 2022. She is coming off a 2021 season in which she was named a First Team All-American by the NFCA, just the third All-American in program history and second First Team selection. She finished the season in the top three in all of NCAA Division I in strikeouts, shutouts and wins for the second straight season.
The right-hander finished first in the ACC with 348 strikeouts, 29 wins and 13 shutouts. Along with All-American honors, Rochard was named ACC Pitcher of the Year as well as ACC Pitcher of the Week (three times) and NFCA Division I Pitcher of the Week (twice) throughout the season. She threw two no-hitters during the 2021 season, the sixth and seventh of her career.
During the 2021 NCAA Tournament, Rochard went 4-2 in her six starts, holding opponents to a .196 batting average in 37.0 innings. She posted 49 strikeouts and became the first pitcher in Hokies' history to go undefeated, 3-0, at the NCAA Regionals. Rochard recently was among 45 athletes invited to the 2022 USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Trials.
Heading into the 2022 season, Rochard has already earned preseason All-ACC honors. The senior was also ranked the No. 5 player in Softball America's 2022 Preseason College Top 100 and No. 8 on the Extra Inning Softball Extra Elite 100 College Player Rankings.