Edwards Named to Player of the Year Watch List

Nebraska senior outfielder Tristen Edwards was one of 50 players nationally named to the 2021 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List, announced on Wednesday, Jan. 27. Edwards is one of only two Big Ten players to make the watch list, along with Northwestern’s Danielle Williams.

A native of Murrieta, Calif., Edwards appears on the top 50 watch list for the second straight season. She was putting together an impressive season last spring before it was cut short due to the global pandemic. Edwards was able to come back for a fifth season in 2021 after the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all spring sport student-athletes.

A 2020 Softball America All-American, Edwards hit .434 in 23 games last season with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 22 RBIs. She was the only player in the country to produce double-digit doubles and home runs during the shortened season. In 2020, Edwards ranked third nationally in slugging percentage (1.000) and total bases (76), fourth in home runs (11) and home runs per game (0.48), 14th in doubles (10) and 15th in runs per game (1.22).

Her strong 2020 season came after she was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in both 2018 and 2019. As a junior in 2019, Edwards was also an all-region selection after batting .376 with 12 doubles, 15 home runs, 50 RBIs, a .578 slugging percentage and .497 on-base percentage.

In her illustrious career thus far, Edwards ranks second in Nebraska history in career slugging percentage (.677), fourth in extra-base hits (85), fourth in doubles (42) and home runs (42), sixth in batting average (.353), eighth in RBIs (140) and 10th in runs scored (140).