Brandi Watkins
Utility
Starkville, Miss.
Transfer from MUW
.524 slugging percentage
.302 batting average
Without MSU softball: “I would be just another college student somewhere with a job.”
Coach Jay Miller says: “Brandi is a different story from the other girls. This is her first year with the team after transferring from (Mississippi University for Women) in the fall. She earned a spot on the team, and we’ve been able to use her in a variety of ways. She’s been a big bat in the lineup at times this year, and a great teammate. Overall, a wonderful addition to the program.”
Iyhia McMichael
Center Field
Nacogdoches, Texas
First Pick, Pro Fastpitch draft
Team Co-Captain
First Team All-American
Career .383 batting average
37 career home runs
134 stolen bases
Greatest MSU moment: “The greatest moment hasn’t happened yet. I haven’t graduated. But the most cherishable (moments) are the memories that I have with my teammates both good and bad. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
Miller’s comments: “What can you say? She’s the best player in college softball, she hits for average and power, and she steals bases. She’s truly been a joy to coach.”
Megan O’Nan
Right Field
Starkville, Miss.
NFCA Academic All-American
Academic All-SEC
Started all 56 games this season
Batting .349 as senior
Would like to be remembered as: “A hard working player who cared about her teammates.”
Miller says: “Megan is a bit of a success story. She played basketball for her first two years here, and then walked on to the team last year. She worked her tail off and got better, now she has started every game in right field this season. She’s also played through a nagging foot injury all season that not a lot of people know about.”
Blaire Brown
Catcher/Designated Player
Yucaipa, Calif.
NFCA Academic all-American
Academic All-SEC
141 career hits
33 RBIs as senior
Greatest MSU moment: “In the Florida series (last weekend) when I hit the homerun and pointed at my father. I had never hit one with him there before, and before my at-bat, I just prayed that it would happen. It was amazing.”
Miller says: “Blaire has been a big bat for us in the middle of the lineup. She plays designated player most of the time for us, but she has also done a good job handling the pitching staff. She’s hit some big home runs, and drove in some key runs for us. She’s just a good hard worker and a great student athlete.”
Lindsay Nelson
Second Base
Orange Park, Fla.
NFCA Academic All-American
Academic All-SEC
Career .275 batting average
Career .942 fielding percentage
Without MSU softball: “If I had not come to MSU to play ball, I probably would not have had much opportunity to play. I more than likely would have went to school elsewhere and obtained my degree, but I would not have been afforded the opportunity to play the caliber of ball that I did here.”
Miller says: “Lindsay is another Academic All-American. She has given us some great defensive leadership in the middle infield, and has also been hitting well in SEC play. I think she has a real shot at making the All-SEC team.”
Jennifer Waterman
Catcher
Kingwood, Texas
35 career doubles
115 career RBIs
Academic All-SEC
.341 batting average as senior
Without MSU softball: “I have no idea what I would be doing. I’d probably be somewhere in Texas. I could not imagine; I would not have met all these wonderful people. Well, not all wonderful, but I have made some great friends. I would not change it. I don’t know what life is like without softball so I don’t know what I would be doing.”
Miller says: “Jennifer has done a super job for us behind the plate this year. She’s done a great job of handling our young pitching staff, and she’s a big bat for us from the cleanup spot.”
Kate Jaspers
First Base
Prescott, Ariz.
Academic All-American
91 career RBIs
Batting .395 as senior
Perfect in stolen base attempts for last two seasons (11-11)
Would like to be remembered as: “a competitive player and a serious, hard-working student.”
Miller’s comments: “Kate epitomizes the term student athlete. She has a 4.0 GPA, and she’s had the best season of her career this year, hitting almost .400.”