Jocelyn Erickson is Florida softball’s first Collegiate Woman in Sports Award Honda Award Top 4 Finalist since Kelly Barnhill and Amanda Lorenz in 2018.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Jocelyn Erickson of the Florida softball team was selected as a finalist for the 2024 Honda Sport Award for Softball as announced by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of THE Collegiate Women in Sports Award (CWSA) early Thursday afternoon.
Erickson joins Reese Atwood from the University of Texas, Stanford’s NiJaree Canady, and Duke’s Claire Davidson as finalists for the coveted award.
The Phoenix, Ariz., native has racked up the awards heading into the 2024 Women’s College World Series as she was named SEC Player of the Year, a unanimous NFCA First Team All-American, Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year, All-SEC First Team and All-SEC Defensive Team among many others.
The left-handed catcher has thrown out 13 of the 19 runners trying to steal this season in addition to posting a .383 average at the plate with 69 hits, 13 home runs, 46 runs scored and 80 RBI. Her 80 RBI are tied for the UF single-season record along with Megan Bush and rank second nationally this season.
Kelly Barnhill (2017), Lauren Haeger (2015) and Kelsey Bruder (2011) are the only three Florida softball players to have earned the award.
This season Erickson is the fourth Gator to be named a finalist across all sports this year as she joins Bella Sims from swimming & diving, Leanne Wong from gymnastics and Parker Valby of the cross country team. Valby won the Honda Award for cross country after an outstanding season this fall.
The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 48 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”. The winner of the sport award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2024 Honda Cup, which will be presented during a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 24, 2024, at 7 PM ET, from its new home in New York City.
The softball finalists were selected by a panel of experts and coaches from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). The Honda Sport award winner for softball will be announced after voting by administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. Each NCAA member institution has a vote.
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