Two weeks after the 10 finalists were named for the Division I National Freshman of the Year award, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) further narrowed down the list to three Thursday afternoon.
Indiana freshman infielder Taryn Kern made the cut after her record-breaking season with the Hoosiers, which earned her Big Ten Freshman and Player of the Year and NFCA All-Region First Team.
The TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award was created in 2014 to honor outstanding athletic achievement among Division I freshman softball student-athletes. To be eligible for this award, each student-athlete must be a true freshman or redshirt freshman and be nominated by their member head coach.
Kern finished the season with 23 home runs, tying the single-season record by a Big Ten freshman. That mark currently places her tied for second in the country, only behind University of Tennessee senior outfielder Kiki Milloy.
The TUCCI/NFCA Freshman of the Year is set to be announced May 30. Kern is joined in the top three by Stanford University’s NiJaree Canady and Duke University’s D’Auna Jennings.
