Johnson among 10 finalists for national award

Arkansas center fielder Reagan Johnson heads to first Monday, May 1, 2023, during the sixth inning of the Razorbacks’ 2-0 win over Tennessee at Bogle Park in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas center fielder Reagan Johnson was announced Thursday as one of 10 finalists for the 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division I freshman of the year award.

Johnson leads the Razorbacks with 72 hits, a .377 batting average, 41 runs scored, 22 multi-hit games and is perfect on 17 stolen-base attempts. She ranks second in the SEC in hits.

She was named the SEC freshman of the week April 25 following a series victory over Kentucky.

The Karnes City, Texas, native was a track and field star in high school. Johnson was the 2022 Texas 2A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles and set a classification record time of 43.70 seconds.

Johnson and the 12th-ranked Razorbacks are scheduled to host 14th-ranked Alabama on Thursday in the SEC Softball Tournament quarterfinals at 7 p.m.