LOUISVILLE, Ky. – No. 22/20 Virginia Tech softball's Kelsey Bennett was named to the Schutt Sports/NFCA National Freshman of the Year top 10 list on Thursday.
Bennett (.397 BA, 44 RBIs), who was named the ACC Freshman of the Year, first-team All-ACC and to the All-ACC Freshmen Team on Tuesday, becomes the first player in school history to make the top-10 list.
The Hokies (45-8, 20-4 ACC) are the lone school out of the ACC to have a freshman on the list, while the Big Ten leads with three.
The winner will be presented prior to the start of the 2019 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
On May 21, the list will be trimmed down to the top three finalists. The Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year trophy will be presented during a live ceremony at the Women's College World Series banquet on May 28.
The Schutt Sports / 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.
Bennett, who broke the school record for home runs in a season by a freshman with 13, is one of only five Power Five freshmen to bat over .395. She also is one of only three Power Five freshmen to start at third base every game.
The Georgia native became the first Hokie freshman to hit back-to-back home runs in a game since 2016, following her consecutive homers against Texas State on Feb. 23. She has 14 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI games this year.
The Hokies will play NC State (30-26, 9-15) at 11 a.m. ET in the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship in Tallahassee, Florida.
2019 NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 10
Kelsey Bennett, 3B, Virginia Tech
Lexie Blair, OF, Michigan
Natalie DenHartog, OF, Minnesota
Megan Faraimo, P, UCLA
Montana Fouts, P, Alabama
Kelli Godin, OF, UCLA
Grace Green, 1B, Oklahoma
Shealyn O'Leary, P, Texas
Ashley Rogers, P, Tennessee
Danielle Williams, P, Northwestern
