LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eight finalists, one from each of the NCAA’s eight regions, have been selected by the Association’s Division II All-America Committee for the 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division II Freshman of the Year award. 

West Chester’s Danielle Ciliberto (Atlantic), Central Oklahoma’s Emily Deramus (Central), Bridgeport’s Mya Jones (East), McKendree’s Lauren Harris (Midwest), UAH’s Katie Bracken (South), West Texas A&M’s Emilee Boyer (South Central), Carson-Newman’s Macauley Bailey (Southeast) and Biola’s Colby McClinton (West) are now in the running for the award, which will be announced on Tuesday, May 23. 

All eight finalists were voted NFCA First- or Second-Team All-Region. Three of the finalists – Harris (South Atlantic Conference) Bailey (Great Lakes Valley Conference) and McClinton (PacWest Conference) – were named their league’s Freshman and Player of the Year.

Additionally – Deramus (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association), Jones (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference) and Boyer (Lone Star Conference) - captured their conference’s Freshman of the Year accolades, while Bracken was voted the Gulf South Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Five of the finalists – Bailey, Bracken, Ciliberto, Jones and McClinton - are representing their institutions for the first time, while it is the second nod for Central Oklahoma, McKendree and West Texas A&M.

Created in 2015, the award honors the outstanding athletic achievement among freshman softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. To be eligible, student-athletes must come from a NFCA member institution. 

Macauley Bailey
DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher
Carson-Newman

Emilee Boyer
Utility/Pitcher
West Texas A&M

Katie Bracken
Pitcher
UAH

Danielle Ciliberto
Pitcher
West Chester

Emily Deremus
Shortstop
Central Oklahoma

Lauren Harris
Shortstop
McKendree

Mya Jones
Third Base
Bridgeport

Colby McClinton
Shortstop
Biola

TUCCI/NFCA Division II Freshman of the Year previous winners

Caleigh Rister (Cal Pa. - 2022); Kenzee Smith (UIndy – 2021); Bailey McKittrick (Central Oklahoma – 2019);Callie Nunes (Concordia Irvine – 2018);  Autumn Humes (Harding – 2017); Charlotte Romero (Colorado Christian – 2016); Janessa Bassett (Dixie State – 2015)

NFCA Division II National Freshman of the Year

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 nearly 6,700 coaches today!