LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of South Alabama softball's Olivia Lackie was one of 30 freshmen from around the country selected as a candidate for the 2021 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award as announced by the association Thursday afternoon.
On May 13, the list will be trimmed down to the top 10 and the three finalists will be released on May 27. The 2021 Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year will be announced on June 1, prior to the start of the 2021 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City in June.
In her first collegiate season, Lackie has made an immediate impact in the circle for the Jaguars as she has posted 15 wins, three saves, and holds a 1.81 earned run average in 139.0 innings of work, to go along with six shutouts, 12 complete games, 179 strikeouts, and is holding opponents to a .178 batting average. She has been named the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week on four occasions, and was selected as the Wilson / NFCA Pitcher of the Week on March 9 as well as being named the DISoftball Freshman of the Week, after tossing a 1-0 shutout at then-second ranked Alabama. Lackie has twice been recognized by as one of the Louisville Slugger / Wilson NFCA DI Top Performance Selection (4/13).
In her 139 innings of work, she has struck out the side 16 times and recorded at least 2 or more strikeouts in 62 innings (44.6%). She has recorded double-digit strikeouts six times this spring, with four of those going for 12 or more. Of her 417 put outs, 186 have come by strikeout, while 231 have come from balls put in play (44.6%).
Coming into the weekend, she is tied for the Sun Belt lead in saves, while ranking second in strikeouts, innings pitched, opposing batting average, third in strikeouts looking (49) and ERA, and tied for fourth in wins. The Walker, La., native is 13th nationally in strikeouts.
Lackie has been just as good against Sun Belt opponents as she holds a 1.48 ERA, and has struck out 82 batters in her 66 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .173 batting average. She has only allowed 14 earned runs in her 12 appearances.
The freshman set a then-season high 15 strikeouts in game one of the series against Appalachian State allowing one hit in the shutout. She then followed that up in her very next start with a 16-strikeout, no-hitter in the finale against the Mountaineers.
ABOUT THE AWARD AND NOMINEES
The Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award was created in 2014 to honor outstanding athletic achievement among Division I freshmen softball student-athletes. To be eligible, student-athletes must be nominated by their member head coach. With the cancellation of last year's season due to COVID-19, candidates hail from the 2020 and 2021 freshman classes. Due to having two freshman classes eligible for the award, an additional five players have been added to the traditional top 25.
This year's finalists hail from 27 different universities and represent 16 NCAA Division I conferences from across the nation. The Southeastern Conference led the way with six honorees, while the Pac-12 earned five. The Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Southland Conference, Summit and Western Athletic Conference each received two nods. Leagues with a selection apiece were the American Athletic Conference, Atlantic-10 Conference, Big West Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Mid-American Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Northeast Conference, Sun Belt Conference and West Coast Conference.
Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year previous winners
2020 – Award was not presented due to COVID-19
2019 – Danielle Williams, Northwestern
2018 – Jocelyn Alo, Oklahoma
2017 – Rachel Garcia, UCLA
2016 – Amanda Lorenz, Florida
2015 – Paige Parker, Oklahoma
2014 – Annie Aldrete, Tennessee & Kasey Cooper, Auburn
2021 NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 30
*Denotes Second Year
Addison Barnhard, Wichita State University
Hannah Becerra, California State University, Fullerton
Alyssa Brito, University of Oregon
Valerie Cagle, Clemson University *
Erin Coffel, University of Kentucky
Jayda Coleman, University of Oklahoma
Matalasi Faapito, New Mexico State University *
Shaylon Govan, Stephen F. Austin State University *
Cameron Fagan, Virginia Tech *
Cylie Halvorson, South Dakota State University *
Sarah Harness, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale *
Jazmine Hill, Arizona State University *
Hannah Hughbanks, Dixie State University *
Alissa Humphrey, James Madison University
Tiare Jennings, University of Oklahoma
Lexi Kilfoyl, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa *
Tori Kniesche, South Dakota State University
Olivia Lackie, University of South Alabama
Jenna Laird, University of Missouri, Columbia
Shelby Lowe, Auburn University
Janelle Meoño, University of Arizona *
Devon Miller, Fordham University *
Kiki Milloy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville *
Sharlize Palacios, University of Arizona *
Taylor Pleasants, Louisiana State University
Karli Spaid, Miami University *
Ashley Trierweiler, Santa Clara University *
Alana Vawter, Stanford University *
Grace Vesco, Saint Francis University (Pa.) *
Jenna Wildeman, University of Central Arkansas *
UP NEXT
- South Alabama (25-13, 12-5 SBC) will head out on the road for its final Sun Belt Conference road series of the spring at Georgia Southern, April 30-May 2. Game one of the series versus the Eagles is set for Friday at 4:30 p.m. (CT) at Eagle Field in Statesboro, Ga.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear. All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.
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