LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Six finalists, one from each of the NFCA’s NAIA regions, have been selected by the Association’s NAIA All-America Committee for the 2022 Schutt Sports / NFCA NAIA National Freshman of the Year award.
Central Baptist’s Savannah Sanford (Region I), Southeastern’s Riley Sanders (Region II), Bellevue’s (Neb.) Reese Floro (Region III), Science & Arts of Oklahoma’s Sophie Williams (Region IV), Central Methodist’s Mykala Johnico (Region V) and Marian’s Olivia Stunkel (Region VI) are in the running for the award, which will be announced on June 8.
The award honors the outstanding athletic achievement among freshman softball student-athletes throughout NAIA. To be eligible, student-athletes must come from an NFCA member institution.
Sanders (The Sun Conference), Floro (North Star Athletic Conference), Williams (Sooner Athletic Conference), and Johnico (Heart of America) earned conference freshman or newcomer of the year accolades. Stunkel was tabbed the Crossroads League Pitcher of the Year. All six honorees were named to their respective league’s all-conference first teams.
Reinhardt’s Emily Loveless was tabbed the inaugural winner of the award in 2021.
In 2022, the NFCA will award Freshman of the Year honors to a student-athlete from NCAA DI, NCAA DII, NCAA DIII and NAIA. For more information about all NFCA Awards, visit nfca.org.
First Base
Bellevue
Pitcher
Central Methodist
DP/UT Non-P
Southeastern
DP or UT/Non-Pitcher
Central Baptist
Pitcher
Marian
Pitcher
USAO
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded Schutt Sports/NFCA Freshman of the Year Awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining nearly 6,000 coaches today!
