ORLANDO – UCF softball star utility player Jada Cody on Wednesday saw another chapter written in her diary of offseason awards and recognition following her breakout 2022 campaign, as the Murrieta, California, native was named to USA Softball's 2023 Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watchlist.
The watchlist honors represent the latest national recognition for the junior entering her fourth season with the Knights, as Cody this offseason has also been ranked the No. 14 player in the nation by D1Softball.com and No. 31 by Softball America.
The utility player also garnered All-Conference First Team honors in the American Athletic Conference, NFCA All-Region Second Team honors, Softball America Second Team All-America honors, D1Softball.com First Team All-America honors, and two conference Player of the Week awards for her efforts last season.
Cody in 2022 most notably set UCF's single-season RBI record with 75, also good for the second-most in The American and fourth-most by a single player in NCAA Division I softball. She also set season-highs in a myriad of offensive statistical categories, including RBI, batting average (.361), on-base percentage (.439), slugging percentage (.701), runs scored (48), hits (70), doubles (15), triples (3), home runs (15), walks (27) and total bases (136).
Cody is the lone Knight to make the cut and joins Wichita State outfielder Addison Barnard and infielder Sydney McKinney to complete a trio of American Athletic Conference representatives on the list.
The top 25 finalists for the 2023 USA Softball Player of the Year award will be announced on April 19, with the field to be narrowed to 10 finalists on May 3 and three finalists on May 17. The winner will then be unveiled prior to the Women's College World Series.
