After a heartbreaking 1-0 loss at Alabama left the No. 12 Stanford softball team one game short of the Women’s College World Series, junior shortstop Ashley Hansen found a reason to celebrate when she was just the second position player ever to be named USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year on Tuesday.

Hansen is the first Stanford player to win the award, which is given out by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA). The Chandler, Ariz., native certainly was deserving after putting up some impressive statistics–in addition to leading the Pac-10 in on-base percentage, hits and doubles, she was third in the country in batting average, posting an other-worldly .495 mark that is a new Stanford single-season record.

“My team has been there for me through thick and thin this year, really the past three years,” the three-time All-Pac-10 First-Team honoree said. “I have eight other girls in the lineup who are capable of getting the job done, and that takes a lot of pressure off of me.”

With another year left on the Farm, Hansen has a very good shot at shattering some Stanford career marks–she is eighth in career hits and RBI, seventh in runs scored, third in doubles and tied for second in triples.

“From the first day that she set foot on campus, we knew she was not only a special player, but a special person,” said head coach John Rittman. “This is huge for Stanford and our program to have someone recognized as National Player of the Year. I am so proud of Ashley and all her accomplishments.”

Hansen, who was already named the Pac-10 Player of the Year, beat out Big-12 Pitcher of the Year Chelsea Thomas of Missouri and Arizona outfielder Katelyn Boyd for the award, which was announced at a banquet to kick off the WCWS that gets under way this week.