With just two weeks of the regular season left, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has revealed its 2026 NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25 list.
This year’s finalists come from 22 different programs and represent 11 conferences across the nation. The Southeastern Conference leads the way with seven picks, while the Big Ten follows with six.
Alabama, Oklahoma, and UCLA are the only programs to have two representatives. Check out the list of the Top 25, and see who has the potential to grab the crown.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday, May 26, just before the start of the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) in Oklahoma City.
NFCA Top 25 Freshman of the Year Finalists
- Bri Alejandre, UCLA
- Brinli Bain, Arkansas
- Ella Boyer, Kansas
- Abby Carr, Missouri
- Bree Carrico, Virginia Tech
- Bronwyn Conroy, College of Charleston
- Kenzie Pilon-Farrier, California Baptist
- Tarisa Frans, Cornell
- Aleena Garcia, UCLA
- Madi George, Ole Miss
- Mia Gomez, Utah
- Camille Hamilton, UNCW
- Alexis Jensen, Nebraska
- Sophia Lundstrom, Sam Houston
- Marina Mason, Northwestern
- Kai Minor, Oklahoma
- Anna Moore, Purdue
- Makenna Moore, Jacksonville State
- Vic Moten, Alabama
- Allison Oneacre, Penn State
- Kaitlyn Pallozzi, Alabama
- Dani Rauscher, UC Santa Barbara
- Kendall Wells, Oklahoma
- Katelyn Wetteland, Nevada
- Kinzey Woody, Wichita State
Softball On SI's Favorites to Win
Kendall Wells, Oklahoma Sooners
Wells has been one of the best at the plate this season. With 34 home runs on the season, she’s one away from setting the OU single-season home run record, and four away from setting a new NCAA single-season home run record.
She already broke the NCAA home run record for a freshman and is on pace to smash the overall NCAA home run record, set by former Sooner Jocelyn Alo, at 122.
Wells is hitting .382 with 61 runs, 34 home runs, 76 RBIs and a 1.119 slugging percentage in 47 games played as a true freshman.
Alexis Jensen, Nebraska Cornhuskers
With ace Jordy Frahm in her final collegiate season, two-way threat Jensen has settled in to become the next star of the Cornhuskers.
In the circle, she’s 18-2 with 166 strikeouts with only 27 walks this season for a strikeout-to-walk ratio that ranks eighth in the nation.
At the plate, Jensen is batting .344 with 22 hits, 15 RBIs, and a slugging percentage of .641.
Vic Moten, Alabama Crimson Tide
Paired with junior Jocelyn Briski, Vic Moten has been a force on the mound for the 43-4 Crimson Tide. She’s 22nd in the league with an ERA of 1.69, appearing in 24 games with 16 wins, which is fourth in the NCAA. The righty has secured 140 strikeouts across 107.2 innings pitched.
In the opening weekend of the season alone, she went 3-0 with just two runs allowed with 19 strikeouts. She then went on to throw a combined no-hitter with Braya Hodges against Villanova, and snagged ranked wins over Florida State and Texas.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/softball as NFCA Reveals College Softball Top 25 Finalists for 2026 Freshman of the Year .
