Amanda Lorenz was named to the All-SEC First Team, SEC All-Freshman team and SEC Freshman of the Year.
Barnhill, Lorenz Among Three Finalists for NFCA Freshman of the Year Award
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 | Softball
Although this award is only in its third season, Florida is the first school to have two rookie’s named as top three finalists.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Florida freshmen Kelly Barnhill and Amanda Lorenz were named Top Three Finalists for the 2016 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year, announced Wednesday by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Although this award is only in its third season, Florida is the first school to have two rookie's named as top three finalists. In addition, Barnhill and Lorenz are the first Gators to be named as Top Three Finalists. A season ago, Aleshia Ocasio was only a Top 25 Finalist.
The third finalist for this year's award is Oklahoma infielder Shay Knighten.
Among these three candidates, Lorenz and Knighten each garnered Freshman of the Year and First Team All-League accolades, respectively between the SEC and Big 12 conferences. However, all three finalists were named to their league's All-Freshman team.
With the selections of Barnhill and Lorenz, the Southeastern Conference has been represented in the top-three by five players in the first three years of the award. It marks the first two from the two-time defending WCWS champions. Barnhill or Lorenz would join inaugural co-winners Tennessee's Annie Aldrete and Auburn's Kasey Cooper as recipients from the SEC. Knighten is the second straight finalist from Norman and will be looking to join teammate Paige Parker as the second consecutive Sooner to win the award.
On Tuesday, May 31, the award will be presented to the winner at the 2016 NCAA Women's College World Series banquet at the Petroleum Club in downtown Oklahoma City.
Meet the Gators
Kelly Barnhill (RHP)
Season Recap
Sporting a 15-1 record, the right-hander has a 1.36 ERA with seven complete games, six shutouts, one save and 167 strikeouts in 108.1 innings. In addition, Barnhill's opponents' batting average is .140 (108.1 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 second in strikeouts (167) 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 Florida's regular season 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 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 (1.36, sixth)
- Opponent average (.140, second)
- Strikeouts (167, ninth)
- Games started (24, 11th)
- Runs allowed (24, sixth)
- Earned runs allowed (21, seventh)
Ranks among the NCAA leaders in the following categories:
- ERA (1.36, 11th)
- Hits Allowed Per Seven Innings (3.36, third)
- Strikeouts Per Seven Innings (10.8, third)
2016 Season Honors:
- NFCA Freshman of the Year Top Three Finalist
- SEC All-Freshman Team
- SEC Freshman of the Week twice (3/21, 5/9)
- Third Team All-Southeast Region
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 leading the team with a .406 batting average (71-for-175), including a team-high 14 doubles, one triple and eight home runs, 47 RBI and 56 runs scored. She has also tallied a team-high 47 walks with three hit-by-pitches and struck out only 19 times.
In addition, Lorenz has swiped 10 of 12 stolen base attempts while recording 45 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 .531 mark thus far. Another mark within reach is Kelsey Stewart's UF freshman batting average record (.379), as Lorenz is at .406.
Lorenz also ranks third in runs scored (56), tied for third in hits (71), tied for second in doubles (14) and she's first in walks (47) in Florida's freshman record book. In fact, Lorenz is just two base on balls shy of Florida's all single season record for walks in season.
That mark is held by Aja Paculba and Lauren Haeger who totaled 49 walks in 2009 and 2015, respectively.
For her efforts on the field, 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
Lorenz mashed her first-career postseason home run in the second game of last weekend's NCAA Regional in Gainesville. With the game in a scoreless tie in the third inning, Florida's rookie outfielder tagged a one-out offering over the right-center fence off of Florida's national championship billboard.
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. In addition, 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 off the scoreboard in left-center field. In the series finale with MSU, Lorenz hit a walk-off two-run homerun in the bottom of the 10th 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 (.406, ninth)
- OBP (.531, sixth)
- Runs scored (56, T-11th)
- Hits (71, seventh)
- Doubles (14, T-9th)
- Walks (47, fourth)
Ranks among the NCAA leaders in the following categories:
- OBP (.531, 23rd)
- Walks (47, 21st)
2016 Season Honors:
- NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 10 Finalist
- SEC Freshman of the Year
- First Team All-SEC
- SEC All-Freshman Team
- Named SEC Freshman of the Week once (3/28)
- First Team All-Southeast Region
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.
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