STANFORD, Calif. – Alana Vawter continues to collect accolades on the conference and national level.
Vawter was named a top 15 finalist for NFCA / Schutt Sports Freshman of the Year, the NFCA announced on Thursday. While Vawter is listed as a sophomore, she is eligible for the honor due to her true freshman season being canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent extra year of eligibility offered to spring sport athletes.
The Kansas City native is joined by Arizona's Janelle Meoño as finalists from the Pac-12. The list of finalists will be trimmed to three on May 27, with the winner of the award being announced prior to the start of the Women's College World Series.
One of only five Power-5 pitchers in the country with at least 20 wins and a 1.23-or-lower ERA, Vawter is putting together one of the best seasons thrown by a Stanford pitcher. She is 20-8 on the season, to become the first Cardinal pitcher with a 20 victory season since 2014. She ranks in the top five in the Pac-12 in victories, strikeouts, innings pitched, complete games and ERA.
The right-hander has gone the distance 18 times, throwing seven shutouts. Vawter threw 40.1 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run in an impressive stretch from April 23 to May 7.
Stanford will close out the regular season this weekend, May 13-15, against No. 5 Washington at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium.