LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Florida freshman Amanda Lorenz has been named the NFCA Freshman of the Year, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Tuesday night at the NCAA Championship Banquet in Oklahoma City.
This is the third year that the NFCA Freshman of the Year has been in existence. Last season, Oklahoma’s Paige Parker garnered this accolade. In 2014, Tennessee’s Annie Aldrete and Auburn’s Kasey Cooper shared the inaugural honor.
In her freshman season, Lorenz recorded a team-high .403 batting average (73-for-181), including a team-high 14 doubles, one triple and eight home runs, 48 RBI and 56 runs scored. She also tallied a team-high 48 walks with three hit-by-pitches and struck out only 19 times.
For her efforts on the field, Lorenz became the second Gator to be named SEC Freshman of the Year, and the first since Mandy Schuerman in 2002. In addition, the Moorpark, Calif. native is the first rookie in school history to be voted as a First Team All-SEC performer.
Although this award is only in its third season, Florida was the first school to have two rookie’s named as top three finalists as rookie right-hander Kelly Barnhill was in OKC for the banquet on Tuesday evening. The third finalist for this year’s award was Oklahoma infielder Shay Knighten.
In addition, Barnhill and Lorenz are the first Gators to be named as Top Three Finalists. A season ago, Aleshia Ocasio was only a Top 25 Finalist.
Quotes
Head Tim Walton:
“Amanda was consistent and great for us all season long. Her numbers speak for themselves, but I’m excited for her to be rewarded with this very special honor. Amanda is a great teammate and fun to coach. I’m excited for her to compete with the U.S. Women’s Elite Team this summer and come back to Gainesville this fall even better.”
Freshman Amanda Lorenz:
“It was a huge honor and I am humbled by it. My heart was beating really fast when I was standing there. Being friends with both Kelly (Barnhill) and Shay (Knighten), I was excited for both of them and the amazing seasons they had. I am very proud to represent the Gators and to wear the orange and blue.”
Lorenz’s Season Breakdown
Season Recap
Lorenz, who’s started and hit second, third, fourth or fifth in the lineup for Florida every game this season, recorded a team-high .403 batting average (73-for-181), including a team-high 14 doubles, one triple and eight home runs, 48 RBI and 56 runs scored. She also tallied a team-high 48 walks with three hit-by-pitches and struck out only 19 times.
In addition, Lorenz swiped 10 of 12 stolen base attempts while recording 47 putouts and two assists in the outfield.
The Moorpark, Calif., native became the fifth Gator to record a .400 batting average during a single season and the seventh to register a .500 on base percentage. More specifically, Lorenz’s .528 OBP ranks second all-time in Florida history for a single season and her 48 base on balls is tied for third in program lore.
Lorenz did usurp Kelsey Stewart‘s UF freshman batting average record (.379), as Lorenz hit .403 this past season. She also ranks third in runs scored (56), third in hits (73), tied for second in doubles (14) and first in walks (48) in Florida’s freshman record book.
Top Performances
Lorenz mashed her first-career postseason home run in the second game of last weekend’s NCAA Regional in Gainesville. With the game in a scoreless tie in the third inning, Florida’s rookie outfielder tagged a one-out offering over the right-center fence off of Florida’s national championship billboard.
In Florida’s series opener at Texas A&M, Lorenz recorded a career-high four RBI as she hit her first-career grand slam in the sixth inning. In game two of that series, Lorenz sparked a two-run rally in the sixth inning when she led off the inning with her first-career triple.
Lorenz earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors on April 25 after she posted a .364 batting average with four hits, three runs and five RBI against USF and Mississippi State. In addition, she recorded a pair of game-winning home runs against USF and MSU, with one coming in walk-off fashion.
In the bottom of the fifth inning against USF with the game in a scoreless tie, she hit a two-out solo home run off the scoreboard in left-center field. In the series finale with MSU, Lorenz hit a walk-off two-run homerun in the bottom of the 10th to help Florida defeat Mississippi State, 3-1 (10 innings), to sweep its fourth SEC series of the season.
Against Omaha in mid-February, Lorenz became the first Gator since Michelle Moultrie on Feb. 19, 2012, to steal 3 bases in a game.
Ranks among the SEC leaders in the following categories:
- Batting average (.403, ninth)
- OBP (.528, sixth)
- Runs scored (56, T-12th)
- Hits (73, seventh)
- Doubles (14, T-9th)
- Walks (48, fourth)
Ranks among the NCAA leaders in the following categories:
- OBP (.528, 27th)
- Walks (48, 21st)
2016 Season Honors:
- NFCA Freshman of the Year
- SEC Freshman of the Year
- First Team All-SEC
- SEC All-Freshman Team
- Named SEC Freshman of the Week once (3/28)
- First Team All-Southeast Region
