Another accolade has rolled in for SIU softball’s freshman ace pitcher.

Brianna Jones was named as one of the 26 finalists for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I National Freshman of the Year award.

Jones is the only finalist from the Missouri Valley Conference and one of eight pitchers on the list.

Of all freshman pitchers, she has the most shutouts with nine, the third-most wins with 18, and fourth-lowest ERA at 1.83. All three of those marks lead the MVC as well.

Nine shutouts is already tied for the seventh-most in SIU single-season history and two more wins would place her in the top ten for single-season wins.

The award was created in 2014 as a way to honor achievements among freshman softball players. 

If Jones were to win, she’d be the first non-power five conference player to win the award after Auburn’s Kasey Cooper and Tennessee’s Annie Aldrete split the inaugural honor and Oklahoma’s Paige Parker won the award last season.

The list will be cut to the top-10 finalists on May 12. Then, the top-three candidates will be selected May 25 and go to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, where the winner will be announced May 31.

Sean Carley can be reached at [email protected] or at 618-536-3307.