The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced the initial finalists for the Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award, which will be presented prior to the start of the 2017 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

This year's finalists hail from 22 different universities, while the group represents 12 Division I conferences from across the nation. Arizona out of the Pac-12 leads the way with three selections, while Big Ten representative Minnesota has two honorees.

The Pac-12 topped the charts with seven selections from six different programs. The Big 12, Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference each had three representatives, the Ohio Valley Conference, Atlantic 10, Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic Sun, Big South Conference, Big Sky, Colonial Athletic Association and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), garnered one apiece. The Big Sky and MEAC are represented for the first time.

On Thurs., May 11, the list will be trimmed down to the top 10 finalists, while the top three finalists will be selected and released on Wed., May 24. The Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year trophy will be presented during a live ceremony on May 31.

The award was created in 2014 from an idea to honor outstanding athletic achievement among Division I freshmen softball student-athletes. In the inaugural year, Auburn's Kasey Cooper and Tennessee's Annie Aldrete, were co-winners. Oklahoma's Paige Parker took home the honor in 2015 and Florida's Amanda Lorenz captured the award in 2016.

Name	University	Position
Alyssa Barrera	Utah	Outfield
Alyssa Denham	Louisiana	Pitcher
Alyssa Palomino	Arizona	Outfield
Amber Bishop	Liberty	Infield
Bailey Hemphill	Alabama	DP/Catcher
Braxton Burnside	Missouri	Infield
Brittany Pickett	North Carolina	Pitcher/Infield
Caylan Arnold	Tennessee	Pitcher
Dejah Mulipola	Arizona	Catcher
Jenna Cone	George Washington	Infield
Jessie Harper	Arizona	Infield
Kendyl Lindaman	Minnesota	Catcher
Linda Rush	Drexel	Infield
Maggie Balint	Oregon	Pitcher
Mariah Lopez	Oklahoma	Pitcher
McKenna Partain	Minnesota	Infield
Olivia Tamewitz	Kennesaw State	Outfield
Rachel Anderson	Southeast Missouri State	Outfield
Rachel Garcia	UCLA	Pitcher/DP
Ryan Jackson	Bethune-Cookman	Outfield
Sami Williams	Iowa State	Infield
Shelby McGlaun	Baylor	DP/Pitcher
Sis Bates	Washington	Infield
Takesha Saltern	Weber State	Outfield
Taryn Atlee	Rutgers	Infield

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