Kelly Barnhill is 15-0 this season with a 1.32 earned run average.
Barnhill, Lorenz Named NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 10 Finalists
Thursday, May 12, 2016 | Softball
Kelly Barnhill and Amanda Lorenz were named Top 10 Finalists for the 2016 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Florida freshmen Kelly Barnhill and Amanda Lorenz were named Top 10 Finalists for the 2016 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year, announced Thursday by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
The 10 finalists hail from nine different universities and seven conferences. The Southeastern Conference makes up half the field with four, which includes Florida's two selections. The Big 12, Big South, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley Conference and Western Athletic Conference make up the rest of the field.
Four of the 10 have been named their respective conference's Freshman of the Year, including Lorenz (SEC), Coastal Carolina's Taty Forbes (Big South), New Mexico State's Kelsey Horton (WAC) and Marist's Claire Oberdorf (MAAC). In addition, five honorees - Lorenz, Forbes, Horton, Oberdorf and Southern Illinois' Brianna Jones (MVC) - earned first-team all-conference honors, while Notre Dame's (ACC) Ali Western and Texas A&M's (SEC) Kelli Milligan took home second-team recognition. Barnhill and Ole Miss' Hailey Lunderman were selected to the SEC's all-freshman team. The Big 12 has not announced its awards.
Although this award is only in its third season, Barnhill and Lorenz are the first Gators to be named as Top 10 Finalists. A season ago, Aleshia Ocasio was only a Top 25 Finalist.
Meet the Gators
Kelly Barnhill (RHP)
Season Recap
Sporting a perfect 15-0 record, the right-hander has a 1.32 ERA with seven complete games, six shutouts, one save and 157 strikeouts in 101.0 innings. In addition, Barnhill's opponents' batting average is .133 (101.0 IP) and would go down as the best in Florida history if the season ended today.
Jenny Gladding currently holds the top single-season opponent batting-average-against in program history, as she recorded a .146 b/avg. in 2004.
Meanwhile, Barnhill's ERA is challenging Stephanie Brombacher's freshman record 1.40 ERA that she achieved in 2008. The Marietta, Ga., native currently ranks tied for fourth in wins (15) and third in strikeouts (157) in Florida's freshman record book.
She's the fifth Gator freshman in six years to record 100+ strikeouts and was recently named to the SEC All-Freshman team.
Top Performances
Barnhill threw Florida's fourth no hitter of the season and first of her career in last Sunday's series finale against Arkansas. During that contest, Barnhill walked the first hitter of the game before she retired the next 15 Razorback hitters, including 10 strikeouts, to complete UF's series sweep of Arkansas. She joined Lindsay Littlejohn (Feb. 19, 2006, Longwood) and Delanie Gourley (May 16, 2014, Florida A&M) as the only freshmen in program history to throw a no hitter.
Barnhill tied her and Delanie Gourley's school-record 18 strikeouts on March 16 against Winthrop. On Sunday, March 6, that duo combined for 18 strikeouts against FAMU. Gourley recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched, and Barnhill dealt five strikeouts to the only five Rattlers she faced.
Barnhill now holds the Florida individual-game record for strikeouts. That mark was previously held by her teammate, Aleshia Ocasio, and former Gator, Renise Landry, who each had 17. The freshman's performance marked the second time a Gator pitcher recorded 15+ strikeouts in a regulation game since Jenny Gladding had 15 against Nebraska on Feb. 21, 2004.
She also tossed five shutout innings, while recording two strikeouts and not walking a batter in her collegiate debut against then-No. 2 Michigan.
She ranks among the SEC leaders in the following categories:
· ERA (1.32, fifth)
· Opponent average (.133, first)
· Strikeouts (157, seventh)
· Wins (15, 13th)
· Games started (22, ninth)
· Runs allowed (22, fifth)
· Earned runs allowed (19, seventh)
Ranks among the NCAA leaders in the following categories:
· ERA (1.32, 10th)
· Hits Allowed Per Seven Innings (3.19, first)
· Strikeouts Per Seven Innings (10.9, fourth)
Amanda Lorenz (OF)
Season Recap
Lorenz, who's started and hit second, third, fourth or fifth in the lineup for Florida every game this season, is currently second on the team with a .401 batting average (65-for-162), including a team-high 13 doubles, one triple and seven home runs, 44 RBI and 53 runs scored. She has also tallied a team-high 43 walks with three hit-by-pitches and struck out only 18 times.
In addition, Lorenz has swiped 10 of 12 stolen base attempts while recording 41 putouts and two assists in the outfield.
The Moorpark, Calif., native is challenging Bailey Castro's Florida record for on-base percentage (.536), as she's recorded a .526 mark thus far. Another mark within reach is Kelsey Stewart's UF freshman batting average record (.379), as Lorenz is at .401.
Lorenz also ranks fourth in runs scored (53), fifth in hits (65), third in doubles (13) and tied for first in walks (43) in Florida's freshman record book.
This past Tuesday, Lorenz was named to the All-SEC First Team, SEC All-Freshman team and SEC Freshman of the Year. She is the second Gator to be named SEC Freshman of the Year, and the first since Mandy Schuerman in 2002. In addition, the Moorpark, Calif. native is the first rookie in school history to be voted as a First Team All-SEC performer.
Top Performances
In Florida's series opener at Texas A&M, Lorenz recorded a career-high four RBI as she hit her first-career grand slam in the sixth inning. In game two of that series, Lorenz sparked a two-run rally in the sixth inning when she led off the inning with her first-career triple.
Lorenz earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors on April 25 after she posted a .364 batting average with four hits, three runs and five RBI against USF and Mississippi State. She recorded a pair of game-winning home runs against USF and MSU, with one coming in walk-off fashion.
In the bottom of the fifth inning against USF with the game in a scoreless tie, she hit a two-out solo home run of the scoreboard in left-center field. In the series finale with MSU, Lorenz hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to help Florida defeat Mississippi State, 3-1 (10 innings), to sweep its fourth SEC series of the season.
Against Omaha in mid-February, Lorenz became the first Gator since Michelle Moultrie on Feb. 19, 2012, to steal 3 bases in a game.
Ranks among the SEC leaders in the following categories:
· Batting average (.401, ninth)
· OBP (.526, sixth)
· Runs scored (53, 10th)
· Hits (65, seventh)
· Doubles (13, eighth)
· Walks (43, fifth)
Ranks among the NCAA leaders in the following categories:
· OBP (.526, 26th)
· Walks (43, 24th)
Future Announcements
On Wed., May 25, the list will be trimmed down to the top three finalists. The Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year trophy will be presented during a live ceremony on May 31 prior to the opening of the annual Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
About the NFCA
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) is the professional growth organization for fastpitch softball coaches for all competitive levels of play. Founded in the early 1980s by collegiate softball coaches, the organization includes high school coaches, travel ball/club coaches and individuals who support the sport. Founded by coaches for coaches, the Association is built on strong values and continually instills within its members a deep sense of responsibility for developing programs that enrich the lives of all those involved.
In addition, the Association provides educational training; encourages sportsmanship and high standards of competition; promotes the sport both nationally and internationally; identifies and pursues issues relevant to the fastpitch coaching profession and provides a forum to discuss those issues; honors excellence through awards programs for coaches and players, and keeps members informed of current coaching techniques, equipment innovations and fastpitch news.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
In the Polls: NFCA | USA Softball
SEC Champions | SEC Tournament Digital Guide
FloridaGators.com
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballFlorida Softball | Townsen Thomas UNREAL Catch 🤯
Saturday, November 08
2025 Florida Hall of Fame - Lauren Haeger | Softball, 2012-15
Thursday, October 30
Florida Softball | Head Coach Tim Walton on The Paul Finebaum Show
Tuesday, October 21
Road to Gameday - Florida Gators Softball
Friday, October 10
