LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Twenty-five student-athletes are in the running for the 2018 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award, announced the Association on Wednesday morning. The winner will be presented prior to the start of the 2018 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

This year’s finalists hail from 24 different universities and represent nine Division I conferences from across the nation. UCLA out of the Pac-12 was the only program with two selections. There were five honorees each from the Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference. The Atlantic-10 Conference, Big 12 Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big West Conference and Colonial Athletic Association garnered two representatives.

Leagues with a selection apiece were the American Athletic Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Big South Conference and Mountain West Conference. Boise State’s Alison Seng is the first student-athlete to represent the Broncos and Mountain West Conference, while Gardner-Webb, Hofstra, Long Beach State, Northwestern, Saint Louis and UC Davis have first-time recipients.

On May 10, the list will be trimmed down to the top 10, while the top three finalists will be selected and released on May 23. The Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year trophy will be presented during a live ceremony at the Women’s College World Series banquet on May 29.

The Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award was created in 2014 to honor outstanding athletic achievement among Division I freshmen softball student-athletes.

Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year

2017 – Rachel Garcia, UCLA

2016 – Amanda Lorenz, Florida

2015 – Paige Parker, Oklahoma

2014 – Annie Aldrete, Tennessee & Kasey Cooper, Auburn