Pola Named Top 25 Finalist for 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA DI National Freshman of the Year
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Freshman Savannah Pola was named as one of the 25 student-athletes in the running for 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year, the Association revealed on Thursday afternoon. The winner will be announced prior to the start of the 2022 NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City on June 1.
On May 12, the list will be trimmed down to the top 10 and three finalists will be released on May 26.
Savannah Pola is UCLA's seventh honoree to make the top 25 list. The last Bruin to win the award was Rachel Garcia in 2017.
Previous Bruins to be selected to the NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25 include Megan Faraimo (2019 – Top 10), Kelli Godin (2019 – Top 10), Aaliyah Jordan (2018 – Top 10), Briana Perez (2018), Rachel Garcia (2017 – Winner) and Delaney Spaulding (2014).
This season, Pola leads the conference with 13 doubles as well as ranks fourth on the team with a .341 batting average and third with 35 RBI. Pola has recorded 11 multi-hit and nine multi-RBI performances, good for fourth-best and second-best on the squad, respectively. Pola has also homered five times this season.
She owns the Bruins' best single-game RBI performance so far this year coming against Texas A&M on March 5 when she racked up six RBI in her 3-for-4 night featuring a solo homer and two doubles.
Pola is one of five players on the roster to start and appear in all 42 games this season for the Bruins.
2022 NFCA DIVISION I NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR TOP 25
Jordy Bahl – Oklahoma
Mac Barbara – San Diego State
Megan Bloodworth – Alabama
Jada Cecil – UC San Diego
Ella Chancey – Charlotte
Jessica Clements – Cal Poly
Alyssa Costello – Stony Brook
Mya Dodge – Northern Iowa
Michaela Edenfield – Florida State
Brooke Ellestad – St. Thomas
Bri Ellis – Auburn
Kendra Falby – Florida
Tatum Kresley – UMES
Jane Kronenberger – Notre Dame
Emma Lemley – Virginia Tech
Grace Loftin – UNCG
Jackie Masone – Drexel
Kya Matter – UMBC
Cori McMillan – Radford
Savannah Pola – UCLA
Sierra Sacco – Louisiana Tech
Cydney Sanders – Arizona State
Emma Schutter – Dayton
Emily Winstead – UNCW
Koko Wooley – Texas A&M