McDowell Named Top 25 Finalist for NFCA Freshman of the Year

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas freshman third baseman Ella McDowell has been named a Top 25 Finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year, the organization announced on Friday.

McDowell became the fourth Razorback since 2018 to be selected to the prestigious list, joining Reagan Johnson (2023) and former Hog Mary Haff (2018). As a freshman at Auburn in 2022, Razorback senior first baseman Bri Ellis was also revealed as a finalist for the award.

The Richmond, Texas product is one of eight SEC freshmen up for the award.

McDowell is slashing .392/.608/.467 with 51 hits, eight doubles, a triple, six home runs, 44 RBI and 79 total bases. She ranks second in batting average and hits while ranking third in slugging percentage (.608) and on-base percentage (.467). She has posted 15 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI games.

Her season is among the best by a freshman in program history. Her .392 batting average and .467 on-base percentage are on pace to be the best by a Razorback freshman all-time, while she currently ranks 13th in single-season hits by a rookie.

Defensively, McDowell owns a .990 fielding percentage with one error in 101 chances. She also became the first freshman in program history to earn back-to-back SEC Freshman of the Week honors after winning the award on April 1 and April 8.

No. 9 Arkansas (34-9, 10-8 SEC) will be back in action this weekend when the Razorbacks travel to College Station, Texas, for a three-game SEC series with No. 1/2 Texas A&M. Game times are set for 6 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. on Saturday, and Noon on Sunday. The first two games of the series will be broadcast on SEC Network+, while the series finale will be televised on SEC Network.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com or follow @RazorbackSB on X, Instagram and Facebook.