OKLAHOMA CITY – USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) centerfielder Haylie McCleney has been selected as a finalist for the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Sportswomen of the Year award in the team sport category, the Women’s Sports Foundation announced. A member of the USA Softball WNT since 2014, McCleney was selected based on her achievements between August 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. Fans are invited to vote for Haylie for Sportswoman of the Year at http://sportswomanoftheyear.com/.
During the 10-day span at the Pan American Championship, McCleney was simply unstoppable at the plate and contributed to Team USA’s Gold Medal finish. Pacing the U.S. offense with a team-high .613 (19-for-31) batting average, McCleney posted five RBI and scored 17 runs as the Red, White and Blue outscored opponents 117-15, a feat accomplished by no other team. Amassing a .839 slugging percentage, McCleney was also walked seven times as the leadoff hitter, setting the tone for the lineup right from the start in each contest.
McCleney also won silver with Team USA at the 2017 World Cup of Softball. She hit .500 (10-for-20) with one home run, seven RBI and eight runs scored. Amassing a .577 on-base percentage, the lefty also had two stolen bases and recorded 13 total bases at the event.
The Sportswoman of the Year award winners will be determined by a combination of a public vote (50%) and the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Awards Committee’s vote (50%). The winners will be the two athletes – one individual sport finalist and one team sport finalist – who receive the highest combined share of a public vote and the Awards Committee vote.
Voting has already begun, and fans can visit http://sportswomanoftheyear.com/ to cast their vote for the McCleney. Fan voting will conclude on August 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
The winner in each category will be invited to attend the Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Gala on Wednesday, October 17 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, where they will accept their awards.
Past USA Softball Women’s National Team members who have won the Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswomen of the Year award include Lisa Fernandez (1994), Cat Osterman (2005), Monica Abbott (2007), and Jessica Mendoza (2008).
-- Courtesy of USA Softball