Vic Moten and Kaitlyn Pallozzi Named to NFCA D1 Freshman of the Year Top 25 List

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) revealed its Top 25 finalists for the 2026 NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year award Thursday, as Vic Moten and Kaitlyn Pallozzi both represent Alabama on the prestigious list.

Alabama, Oklahoma and UCLA are the only three programs with two honorees on this year's list. In total, the Crimson Tide has placed 11 players into the Top 25 since the award was first presented in 2014, the third-largest total of any team. This year's list will be narrowed to a Top 10 on May 7 and three finalists will ultimately be chosen from that list on May 20. The winner will be revealed on May 26 at the Women's College World Series banquet in Oklahoma City.

Moten has earned both SEC Pitcher of the Week and Freshman of the Week accolades this season as she currently sits in the top 10 in the league standings in wins (4th – 16), strikeouts (6th – 140) and ERA (7th – 169). She owns ranked wins this season over Florida State, pitching a complete game shutout on Feb. 20, and Texas, guiding the Crimson Tide to a series-securing win in game three of that series.

Pallozzi is undefeated at 8-0 so far this season and is tied for fifth in the SEC with a 1.64 ERA. She became the first freshman in program history to throw a perfect game, doing so on Feb. 20 vs. Elon. She has SEC wins this season against Ole Miss and Kentucky, the latter coming in her first ever conference start.

Vic Moten (Freshman – RHP – Daphne, Ala.)

Stats: 16-3, 1.69 ERA, 107.2 IP, 53 H, 30 R, 36 ER, 38 BB, 140 SO
Top 10 in the SEC in wins (4th – 16), strikeouts (6th – 140) and ERA (7th – 169)
SEC Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 23) and SEC Freshman of the Week (April 14)
D1 Softball and Softball America Freshman of the Week (Feb. 23)
Threw 3.0 innings as part of a combined no-hitter in her collegiate debut vs. Villanova (Feb. 5)
Complete-game shutout at then-No. 6 Florida State (Feb. 20)
Earned a win in the series finale vs. then-No. 1 Texas to secure the series victory (April 4)

Kaitlyn Pallozzi (Freshman – RHP – Wixom, Mich.)

Stats: 8-0, 1.64 ERA, 64.0 IP, 45 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 19 BB, 56 SO
Tied for fifth in the SEC with a 1.64 ERA
SEC and D1 Softball Freshman of the Week (Feb. 23-24)
First freshman in Alabama history to throw a perfect game (Feb. 20 vs. Elon)
SEC wins vs. Ole Miss (March 6) and Kentucky (April 19)
Her win over the Wildcats came in her first career SEC start, throwing 4.2 shutout innings with just three hits and no walks allowed

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