
Barnhill (left), the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, and Lorenz (right) were both top-4 finalists for the award in 2018.
Barnhill, Lorenz Named Finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
Wednesday, April 24, 2019 | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Seniors Kelly Barnhill and Amanda Lorenz were tabbed 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-26 Finalists Wednesday afternoon by USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country.
"For Kelly and Amanda to be selected as finalists for this award is a great accomplishment." head coach Tim Walton said. "Each year they both have continued to push their talents to the limit and they're determined to be the best player each time they set foot on the field. That type of mindset, and work ethic to match, is what allows them to continue to succeed."
Barnhill, the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year recipient, and Lorenz were both top-4 finalists during their 2018 campaigns as juniors. The duo also ended their junior year as top-4 finalists for the 2018 Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) Honda Award.
In 2019, Barnhill and Lorenz have continued their pursuit of excellence on the diamond. Barnhill became only the second pitcher in Florida history to eclipse 1,000 strikeouts and she is now just six away from becoming the program's all-time leader in the category, while Lorenz is pace to set career records in batting average and on-base percentage.
The list of 26 finalists will be narrowed to the 10 on May 8, and the top-3 will be announced on May 22. The 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 28.
The duo are also top-10 finalists for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award. It's the first time in program history that two Gators made the top-10 in the same season and it's only the third time in the awards history. Fans can vote for Barnhill and Lorenz daily HERE.
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FloridaGators.com
Florida Softball on Twitter
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
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The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country.
"For Kelly and Amanda to be selected as finalists for this award is a great accomplishment." head coach Tim Walton said. "Each year they both have continued to push their talents to the limit and they're determined to be the best player each time they set foot on the field. That type of mindset, and work ethic to match, is what allows them to continue to succeed."
Barnhill, the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year recipient, and Lorenz were both top-4 finalists during their 2018 campaigns as juniors. The duo also ended their junior year as top-4 finalists for the 2018 Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) Honda Award.
In 2019, Barnhill and Lorenz have continued their pursuit of excellence on the diamond. Barnhill became only the second pitcher in Florida history to eclipse 1,000 strikeouts and she is now just six away from becoming the program's all-time leader in the category, while Lorenz is pace to set career records in batting average and on-base percentage.
The list of 26 finalists will be narrowed to the 10 on May 8, and the top-3 will be announced on May 22. The 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed May 28.
The duo are also top-10 finalists for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award. It's the first time in program history that two Gators made the top-10 in the same season and it's only the third time in the awards history. Fans can vote for Barnhill and Lorenz daily HERE.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
FloridaGators.com
Florida Softball on Twitter
Head Coach Tim Walton on Twitter
Florida Softball on Facebook
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