-- Story provided by Trine University Athletics --
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has announced the ten finalists, one from each of the NCAA Division III regions, for the 2024 TUCCI/NFCA Division III Freshman of the Year award with Trine University softball's Tyra Marcum among the elite group.
Marcum, a native of Goshen, Indiana, is one of three of the ten finalists still in action this week as part of the super regional round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Softball Championship. Eight of the ten led their teams to an NCAA berth while all ten were named to NFCA All-Region teams.
Marcum has been a menace in the batters' box all season. She currently boasts the 11th most RBIs in the nation with 57 and is 14th with an average of 1.33 per game. She has the 20th best slugging percentage in the country with a .841 and is 26th with 11 homeruns. She is also in the top-60 for batting average (.460) and total bases (95).
The recognition adds to a growing list for the freshman. She earned first team NFCA All-Region honors last week as a designated player or utility/non-pitcher and was one of five members of the Thunder to be named to the Angola, Indiana Regional All-Tournament Team. Before that she was a first team selection by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association for their all-conference honors and took home the final MIAA Athlete of the Week award of the season. She is also a member of the NFCA Tucci/NFCA Division III Pitcher and Player of the Year watchlist.
This is the second year in a row that a member of the team has been named a finalist for the award, which was established in 2016. Debbie Hill ultimately won the distinction in 2023 on the way to the team's first NCAA Division III Championship. Should Marcum win, the Thunder would become just the second program to win the award twice and the first to do it in back-to-back years.
