Let’s hear it for Ashley Hansen ! !

The product of Tempe Corona del Sol High and current Stanford University junior shortstop has been named USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year.

No player could be more deserving.

At Corona del Sol, her work ethic and spirit were examples for all to follow. She was the school’s student-body president and was the lead editor of the yearbook. As a catcher, she was The Arizona Republic’s Big School Player of the Year.

That she ended up at Stanford was no surprise.

She has been named to the Pac-10’s All-Conference first team in each of her first three seasons, was the Pac-10 Player of the Year this season and has played on numerous USA national teams.

We will be fortunate to watch her play for another season.

Another player who deserves a great deal of recognition is Arizona State junior shortstop Katelyn Boyd of Phoenix Horizon, who was a USA Softball Player of the Year finalist.

When it comes to softball, Arizona high schools should be represented in grand style with players scattered across the Pac-10 and elsewhere.

Keep an eye on University of Arizona infielder Brigette Del Ponte, a sophomore infielder and product of Peoria Sunrise Mountain, who hits the ball harder than anyone I have seen.