University of Virginia's College at Wise Athletics issued the following announcement on June 17
UVA Wise softball's McKenna Falwell has received the 2020-21 UVA Wise Athletics Freshman of the Year award for her performance during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season and the 2021 campaign.
A native of Blackstone, Virginia, Falwell ended the altered 2020 season with an impressive 1.65 ERA to finish the year ranked second in the category in the South Atlantic Conference and 73rd in the nation.
The right hander threw eight complete games that campaign and ranked second in the SAC in both strikeouts and innings pitched as she notched 89 strikeouts across 72 innings and claimed five wins in the circle. Her performance during the abbreviated year placed her on the 2021 Preseason All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team.
This spring, Falwell tossed 101 2/3 innings, recording 12 complete games and compiling 100 strikeouts as she earned nine victories in the circle, including a pair of shutouts. At the plate, Falwell registered a .378 batting average in 45 at-bats and recorded 17 hits, including seven extra-base hits, scored 12 runs, and batted in 11 as she aided her team to their first SAC tournament appearance.
She finished this season ranked in the top-10 in the conference in strikeouts, complete games, and wins. Falwell concluded the 2021 campaign garnering All-SAC Second Team honors as a designated player.
She is the first softball player to win the award.
A complete list of previous winners of this award may be found below:
Previous Freshman of the Year Winners
| Student-Athlete | Year |
| Caitlyn Ross (Women's Basketball)/Liza Akimenko (Women's Tennis) | 2020 |
| Briggs Parris (Men's Basketball) | 2019 |
| Jesse French (Women's Lacrosse)/Nate Thompson (Baseball) | 2018 |
| Alex Arnold (Men's Golf) | 2017 |
Original source can be found here.
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