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Nebraska Softball's Alexis Jensen Named Top 25 Finalist for National Award

The freshman phenom has proven herself to be one of the best young players in the country.
Maren Angus-Coombs|
Alexis Jensen earned the win and homered during Friday's win over Michigan.
Alexis Jensen earned the win and homered during Friday's win over Michigan. | Nebraska Athletics

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Nebraska CornhuskersNebraska Cornhuskers

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association released its 2026 NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year Top 25 on Thursday, and there's good news for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Alexis Jensen is the first Husker to be named to the prestigious list in program history. This award was created in 2014.

California Baptist, College of Charleston, Cornell, Jacksonville State, Nevada, Purdue, and Sam Houston are the other seven programs represented for the first time.

The list will be trimmed to 10 on May 7 and then the final three will be announced on May 20.

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 or redshirt freshman. Nominated student-athletes remain in consideration for Top-10 selection. 

Jensen has been having an incredible rookie season for the Huskers. She has been named the National Freshman of the Week by three news organizations in addition to Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.

In the circle, Jensen is 18-2 with 27 appearances and 19 starts. She has an earned run average of 2.73, to go with 166 strikeouts and only 27 walks. Jensen ranks in the top 15 nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (sixth), strikeout-to-walk ratio (eighth), wins (13th), and strikeouts (14th).

At the plate, Jensen is hitting .344 with five home runs and four doubles. She has driven in 15 runs and owns a .641 slugging percentage.

NFCA Top 25 Freshman of the Year Finalists 

  • Bri Alejandre, UCLA 
  • Brinli Bain, Arkansas
  • Ella Boyer, Kansas
  • Abby Carr, Missouri 
  • Bree Carrico, Virginia Tech 
  • Bronwyn Conroy, College of Charleston 
  • Kenzie Pilon-Farrier, California Baptist 
  • Tarisa Frans, Cornell 
  • Aleena Garcia, UCLA 
  • Madi George, Ole Miss
  • Mia Gomez, Utah 
  • Camille Hamilton, UNCW
  • Alexis Jensen, Nebraska 
  • Sophia Lundstrom, Sam Houston 
  • Marina Mason, Northwestern 
  • Kai Minor, Oklahoma 
  • Anna Moore, Purdue 
  • Makenna Moore, Jacksonville State 
  • Vic Moten, Alabama 
  • Allison Oneacre, Penn State 
  • Kaitlyn Pallozzi, Alabama
  • Dani Rauscher, UC Santa Barbara 
  • Kendall Wells, Oklahoma 
  • Katelyn Wetteland, Nevada 
  • Kinzey Woody, Wichita State 

By the Numbers

The 25 finalists represent 22 different universities and 11 NCAA Division I conferences.

The Southeastern Conference leads the way with seven, and the Big Ten follows with six. The Big 12, Coastal Athletic Association, and Conference USA have two apiece, while the American Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big West Conference, Ivy League, Mountain West Conference, and Western Athletic Conference each have one.

Alabama, Oklahoma and UCLA are the only program with multiple players on the list.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 and spent the 2023 season covering Husker Softball for Hail Varsity. In addition to All Huskers, she is a staff writer for the Los Angeles Sports Report.

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