Southern Illinois University pitcher Brianna Jones (Photo courtesy of Saluki Media Services)
Southern Illinois pitcher Brianna Jones was one of 26 players announced as a finalist for the Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award. Jones leads all freshmen nationally with nine shutouts this season, and her 18 wins rank third nationally among freshmen. The award will be presented prior to the start of the 2016 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Jones, a Manchester, Tenn., native, ranks among the best freshmen pitchers nationally. Among freshmen, she ranks first nationally in shutouts, third in wins, fourth in ERA (min. 100 innings), sixth in saves, eighth in fewest walks per seven innings, and 10th in strikeouts.
She leads the Missouri Valley Conference in ERA, shutouts, wins and saves; and she ranks among the top five in the conference in opposing batting average and strikeouts. Among all players nationally, Jones ranks second in shutouts with nine. Jones has earned MVC Pitcher of the Week honors three times this season and MVC Newcomer of the Week honors twice more.
On May 12, the list will be trimmed down to the top 10 finalists, while the top three finalists will be selected and released on Wed., May 25. 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.
The award was created in 2014 from an idea to honor outstanding athletic achievement among freshmen softball student-athletes throughout Division I. 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.
