LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Linfield University’s Tyler McNeley has been named the 2024 Tucci/NFCA Division III Freshman of the Year, the Association announced on Tuesday afternoon.
McNeley, a second-team NFCA All-Region pitcher in Region X, has formed a potent 1-2 punch in the circle this season with senior Tayah Kelley for the No. 1-ranked Wildcats, who are the top seed for the NCAA Division III Finals, which open Thursday in Marshall, Texas. Linfield plays the opening game of the eight-team, double-elimination event at Bell Park at Taylor Field on the campus of East Texas Baptist, facing eight-seeded Tufts at noon ET.
Heading into that game, McNeley is a perfect 18-0 with a 1.37 earned-run average in 23 appearances and 21 starts for Linfield (48-2), which won its first 44 games of the 2024 season. The Lakeview, Ore., product has struck out more than four times as many batters (81) than she has walked (20), with just 22 earned runs over her 112.1 innings. McNeley has eight complete games and three shutouts, and has limited opposing hitters to a .226 batting average.
McNeley was previously honored as a first-team pitcher on the All-Northwest Conference squad, and was also the league’s 2024 Rookie of the Year honoree. She has made two appearances in the NCAA tournament, tossing three innings in a 17-7 victory over Redlands in the Regional round, and pitching the final third of an inning in relief in the clinching game of the Super Regional, which allowed standout senior Kelley to get a standing ovation in her final home appearance at Del Smith Stadium.
This will be the second-straight Division III Finals appearance for the Wildcats, who have won two national championships (2007, 2011) and finished runner-up twice (2010, 2012), all under longtime head coach Jackson Vaughan.
Earlier this season, Linfield won the NFCA Division III Leadoff Classic at the South Commons Complex in Columbus, Ga., and the previous three Leadoff champions — Christopher Newport in 2022, Virginia Wesleyan in 2018 and UT Tyler in 2016 — have all gone on to also win the NCAA title that same season. In 2020, East Texas Baptist won the Leadoff, but the rest of the season, including the NCAA tournament, was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Williams College’s Katie Blanch (Region I), Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Riley O’Brien (Region II), the University of Rochester’s Riley Laygo (Region III), Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Grace Lorson (Region IV), Eastern University’s Danika Barthol (Region V), Emory University’s Ellie Zerr (Region VI), Trine University’s Tyra Marcum (Region VII), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Morgan Harwood (Region VIII) and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Makayla Steffes (Region IX) were the other nine award finalists.
Eight of the 10 helped lead their schools to an NCAA tournament berth, and three — Blanch, Marcum and McNeley — were on squads that advanced to the super regionals. All 10 earned NFCA All-Region honors this season. Only McNeley is still playing.
This is the first Freshman of the Year honor for a Linfield student-athlete. Christopher Newport has collected the honor twice (pitcher Jamie Martin in 2022 and third baseman Kaitlyn Hasty in 2019), as has Virginia Wesleyan (pitcher Kandis Kresinske in 2016 and pitcher Hanna Hull in 2017). Other honorees include Trine utility/pitcher Debbie Hill last season, UT Tyler catcher Ashley Perez in 2018 and Husson designated player Kenzie Dore in 2021. No award was given in 2020.
The award annually honors the outstanding athletic achievement of freshmen in NCAA Division III. The regional finalists and the winner are chosen by the NFCA All-America Committee, which includes one representative for each of the 10 regions. To be eligible, student-athletes must come from an NFCA member institution.
Tucci/NFCA Division III National Freshman of the Year winners
2024 – Tyler McNeley, Pitcher, Linfield
2023 – Debbie Hill, Utility/Pitcher, Trine
2022 – Jamie Martin, P, Christopher Newport
2021 – Kenzie Dore, DP, Husson
2020 – (no award)
2019 – Kaitlyn Hasty, 3B, Christopher Newport
2018 – Ashley Perez, C, UT Tyler
2017 – Hanna Hull, P, Virginia Wesleyan
2016 – Kandis Kresinske, P, Virginia Wesleyan
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) 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!
