LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following a record-breaking rookie season, University of Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells was voted the 2026 NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year, the Association revealed on Tuesday evening at the 2026 NCAA Women’s College World Series banquet in Oklahoma City.
An unanimous selection, Wells is the record fifth Sooner to win the award and just the second catcher to take home this honor (Annie Aldrete, inaugural co-winner in 2014). She is fifth recipient from the Southeastern Conference, the first for the Sooners as members of the league.
Wells’ rookie campaign will go down as one of the finest in Division I softball history. The standout catcher, who earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors, shattered Oklahoma's and the NCAA Division I freshman single-season home run record. A first-team NFCA All-Region selection, Wells leads the SEC with 39 home runs, 81 RBI, and a 1.030 slugging percentage - stats that all rank in the top-five nationally, including second in home runs and tied for third in RBI - and earned her a spot as an USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 finalist.
Joining Wells as finalists were University of Nebraska’s Alexis Jensen and Sooner teammate Kai Minor.
The winner, along with the top-10 and top-three lists, is 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.
NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Winners
2026 – Kendall Wells, Oklahoma; 2025 – Taylor Shumaker, Florida; 2024 – Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State; 2023 – NiJaree Canady, Stanford; 2022 – Jordy Bahl, Oklahoma; 2021 – Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma; 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
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded TUCCI/NFCA Freshman of the Year Awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining over 7,000 coaches today!
NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year
