LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- San Diego State softball's Mac Barbara (Long Beach, Calif.) has been named a finalist for the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year, the NFCA announced Thursday. A redshirt freshman, Barbara is one of 10 finalists for the award.
The winner of the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year will be announced on Tuesday, May 31 prior to the start of the NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Barbara, who yesterday was named the Mountain West Player of the Year, is batting .401 (59-for-147) on the season with 14 home runs, 52 RBIs, 27 runs, 14 doubles, 31 walks and six stolen bases for a .796 slugging percentage and a .503 on-base percentage. Barbara, who reached base safely in 40 consecutive games from Feb. 17-May 6, which was the longest streak in the country this year and set a program record, ranks among the top 50 in the country in RBIs (T-23rd), total base (T-30th), slugging percentage (34th), on-base percentage (40th) and doubles (T-47th).
Among the Aztec single-season leaders, Barbara third in RBIs (52), fourth in on-base percentage (.503), slugging percentage (.796) and OPS percentage (1.299), tied for fourth in extra-base hits (29), fifth in walks (31), sixth in batting average (.401), tied for sixth in doubles (14), and seventh in home runs (14) and total bases (117).
Barbara began her career at Ole Miss, playing 12 games in 2020 during the COVID shortened season and in four games in 2021 before leaving to play for the Italian National Team.
San Diego State (35-13, 18-3 MW), which is 24th in the latest D1Softball rankings, travels to New Mexico this weekend for the final series of the regular season with games set for 6 p.m. MT Thursday and Friday, and noon MT Saturday.