LOUISVILLE, Ky. — BYU softball's Ilove'a Brittingham was named to the 2025 NFCA National Freshman of the Year Top 25 list, the organization announced on Friday.
Created in 2014, the award honors outstanding athletic achievement among Division I freshmen softball student-athletes.
The list of 25 was selected by the National Fastpitch Coaches Assocation (NFCA) and will cut down to 10 on May 8 before three finalists are chosen on May 22. The winner will be announced on May 27, prior to the start of the 2025 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Brittingham is the first Cougar to be named to the National Freshman of the Year list. The outfielder/catcher broke the program's freshman single-season RBI record with a two-RBI single against Utah last week, and is three home runs away from tying the school's freshman home run record as well.
The Nipomo, California, native leads BYU in nine statistical categories, also pacing the Big 12 in seven: batting average (.435), home runs (18), home runs per game (0.44), RBI (62), RBI per game (1.51), slugging percentage (.870) and total bases (120).
Brittingham is one of two Big 12 freshman to be named to the postseason award's top 25 list.
View the full Top 25 list at the NFCA website.