LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Portland State softball freshman Lorraine Alo has been named a TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year finalist, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Thursday. She is the first Viking in program history to receive the recognition.
 
The list of 25 was selected by the NFCA. The top 10, top three and winner are voted on by the NFCA Division I All-America Committee. To be eligible, student-athletes must be nominated by their member head coach and in their first year of NCAA Division I collegiate competition as a true freshman or redshirt freshman. Nominated student-athletes remain in consideration for Top-10 selection.
 
On May 9, the list will be trimmed to the top 10 and the three finalists will be released on May 23rd. The winner will be revealed on May 28.
 
Alo has had an outstanding season for the Vikings, leading the Big Sky with a .418 batting average as she heads into the final weekend of the regular season. She tops nearly every offensive category for the team, with a .486 on-base percentage (second in the conference), 27 RBI, a .612 slugging percentage, and three home runs. Hailing from Kaneohe, Hawaii, Alo boasts a .500 (19-for-38) average against Big Sky opponents, with 15 RBI over 11 conference games. She secured her first career Big Sky Player of the Week honor earlier this season after an impressive seven-hit, four-RBI weekend against Idaho State.
 
2024 TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25
Lorraine Alo, Portland State
Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
Sam Buckley, Saint Mary's
Michelle Chatfield, Virginia Tech
Rosie Davis, Oklahoma State
Jesse Farrell, UNLV
Karli Godwin, Oklahoma State
Maddia Groff, Southern Illinois
Jensin Hall, Dartmouth
Kayden Henry, Texas
Teagan Kavan, Texas
Sophia Knight, Boise State
Kennedy Miller, Arkansas
Bridget Nemeth, Penn State
McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois
Ella Parker, Oklahoma
Kasidi Pickering, Oklahoma
Keagan Rothrock, Florida
Maddi Rutan, Eastern Kentucky
Regan Shockey, Arizona
Brooklyn Shroyer, Fairleigh Dickinson
Desirae Spearman, New Mexico State
Sophie Sun, Harvard
Isa Torres, Florida State
Sonia Zhang, Princeton