Completed Event: Softball versus #6/8 Arkansas on April 18, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 3
Final
Softball
2
vs #6/8 Arkansas
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Minor and Wells Named NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 10 Finalists
May 07, 2026 | Softball
OU Stands as the Lone Program With Two Honorees
NORMAN — Oklahoma Softball freshmen Kai Minor and Kendall Wells were both named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Freshman of the Year Top 10 Finalists as announced Thursday, May 7. The Sooners are the only team in the country with two players on the prestigious list, which will eventually be narrowed down to three names and finally the NFCA National Freshman of the Year.
Both Wells and Minor were named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Watch List.
Minor leads all Southeastern Conference (SEC) freshmen in batting average and ranks fourth among all freshmen nationwide in that category. She has the most hits by any freshman in the country with 71 and is third in the league in stolen bases with 17. Minor has the most multi-hit games by any player on the team with 24 and also tallied the longest hitting streak on OU with a 17-game stretch earlier this year. She has played a flawless outfield, converting all 56 chances she has had in center. On February 16 she was named SEC Freshman of the Week.
Wells is currently the nation's leader in home runs with 36, having already shattered a number of longstanding records at the plate. Twice she was named D1Softball National Player of the Week this season, while also taking home SEC Player of the Week honors April 8. The catcher is hitting .367 with 64 runs and 79 RBIs, while slugging a monstrous 1.070. She has been phenomenal behind the dish, allowing only three stolen bases while posting a .996 fielding percentage across 279 chances.
Top 10 Finalists
Bri Alejandre, UCLA
Ella Boyer, Kansas
Bree Carrico, Virginia Tech
Madi George, Mississippi
Alexis Jensen, Nebraska
Marina Mason, Northwestern
Kai Minor, Oklahoma
Vic Moten, Alabama
Allison Oneacre, Penn State
Kendall Wells, Oklahoma
More on the NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 10 List and National Freshman of the Year
On May 20, the three finalists will be released with the winner being revealed on May 26.
The top 10 list, along with the top three and winner, are voted on by the NFCA Division I All-America Committee. To be eligible, student-athletes must be nominated by their member head coach and in their first year of NCAA Division I collegiate competition as a true freshman or redshirt freshman.
The 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. The NFCA awards
Freshman of the Year plaudits to a student-athlete from NCAA DI, NCAA DII, NCAA DIII and NAIA. For more information about all NFCA Awards, visit nfca.org.
Both Wells and Minor were named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Watch List.
Minor leads all Southeastern Conference (SEC) freshmen in batting average and ranks fourth among all freshmen nationwide in that category. She has the most hits by any freshman in the country with 71 and is third in the league in stolen bases with 17. Minor has the most multi-hit games by any player on the team with 24 and also tallied the longest hitting streak on OU with a 17-game stretch earlier this year. She has played a flawless outfield, converting all 56 chances she has had in center. On February 16 she was named SEC Freshman of the Week.
Wells is currently the nation's leader in home runs with 36, having already shattered a number of longstanding records at the plate. Twice she was named D1Softball National Player of the Week this season, while also taking home SEC Player of the Week honors April 8. The catcher is hitting .367 with 64 runs and 79 RBIs, while slugging a monstrous 1.070. She has been phenomenal behind the dish, allowing only three stolen bases while posting a .996 fielding percentage across 279 chances.
Top 10 Finalists
Bri Alejandre, UCLA
Ella Boyer, Kansas
Bree Carrico, Virginia Tech
Madi George, Mississippi
Alexis Jensen, Nebraska
Marina Mason, Northwestern
Kai Minor, Oklahoma
Vic Moten, Alabama
Allison Oneacre, Penn State
Kendall Wells, Oklahoma
More on the NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 10 List and National Freshman of the Year
On May 20, the three finalists will be released with the winner being revealed on May 26.
The top 10 list, along with the top three and winner, are voted on by the NFCA Division I All-America Committee. To be eligible, student-athletes must be nominated by their member head coach and in their first year of NCAA Division I collegiate competition as a true freshman or redshirt freshman.
The 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. The NFCA awards
Freshman of the Year plaudits to a student-athlete from NCAA DI, NCAA DII, NCAA DIII and NAIA. For more information about all NFCA Awards, visit nfca.org.
Players Mentioned
OF
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