LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Six finalists, one from each of the NFCA’s NAIA regions, have been selected by the Association’s NAIA All-America Committee for the 2021 Schutt Sports / NFCA NAIA National Freshman of the Year award.  

Coastal Georgia’s Bryce Peacock (Region I), Reinhardt’s Emily Loveless (Region II), Midland’s Emly Prai (Region III), Valley City’s Makenzee Stone (Region IV), Aquinas’ Courtney Hardin (Region V) and Indiana Wesleyan’s Chloe Tragesser (Region VI) are in the running for the for the inaugural award, which will be announced June 8.

The award honors the outstanding athletic achievement among freshman softball student-athletes throughout NAIA. To be eligible, student-athletes must come from a NFCA member institution. With the cancellation of last year’s season due to COVID-19, eligible candidates may be selected from the 2020 and 2021 freshman classes.

Peacock (The Sun Conference), Hardin (Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference) and Stone (North Star Athletic Association) earned conference freshman or newcomer of the year accolades, with Stone also being named the NSAA’s Co-Player of the Year. All six honorees were named to their respective league’s all-conference teams.

2021 Schutt Sports/NFCA NAIA National Freshman of the Year Finalists

Region I – Bryce Peacock, College of Coastal Georgia

Region II – Emily Loveless, Reinhardt University

Region III – Emily Prai, Midland University

Region IV – Makenzee Stone, Valley City State University

Region V – Courtney Hardin, Aquinas College

Region VI – Chloe Tragesser, Indiana Wesleyan University