TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Softball's Dakota Kennedy and Regan Shockey have been named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Top 53 Watch List, announced on Wednesday by USA Softball.
 
Kennedy, a junior from Sacramento, California, is making her first appearance on the Watch List. The left fielder earned NFCA All-American status and won the Rawlings Gold Glove last season after recording a perfect fielding percentage with 11 assists and hitting .400 with 13 home runs. Kennedy also led the Wildcats with 42 walks and a .688 slugging percentage. Last season, she totaled 68 hits, 10 doubles, 34 RBI, and six stolen bases.
 
Shockey, a sophomore from Chino Hills, California, is also making her first appearance on the Top 50 Watch List. The center fielder earned NFCA All-Region honors and was a four-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week last season. Shockey led Arizona with a .404 batting average, 80 hits, and eight stolen bases in the 2024 campaign.
 
Kennedy and Shockey have also been named to the D1 Softball Top 100 and Softball America's Preseason College Top 100 rankings for the 2025 season.
 
Arizona will open the 2025 season with the fourth-annual Candrea Classic at Hillenbrand Stadium on February 6-9. The Cats will host Alabama, Michigan State, Washington, and Western Michigan for opening weekend.