CEDAR CITY, Utah – Continuing what has already been a breakout freshman campaign, Southern Utah infielder McKenzy Becerra has been named the D1Softball Mid-Major Freshman of the Week following her dominant performance at the plate against Abilene Christian. This marks the first time a Southern Utah athlete has earned this honor.
Becerra earns the national mid-major honor after also being recognized earlier this week as the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week, highlighting one of the most impressive individual weekends in the country.
Head Coach Don Don Williams Said
"McKenzy has been super competitive for us this season, regardless of stage or spotlight. To see her earn recognition at the national level is a testament to the work she's put in and the confidence she's playing with right now. What I love most is how she's contributing within the flow of our offense. She's not trying to do too much, just taking quality at-bats and delivering in big moments. Our team feeds off that energy."
Becerra put together a remarkable weekend, hitting .700 while driving in eight runs and scoring four times in Southern Utah's sweep of Abilene Christian. She collected seven hits, including two doubles and two home runs, and reached base consistently with two additional walks.
Her signature performance came in the series opener, when she blasted a grand slam and a two-run home run, finishing the game with six RBIs, both career highs. She followed that effort with continued production throughout the series, consistently applying pressure to the Wildcats' pitching staff.
On the national stage, Becerra headlines a group of weekly award winners that includes National Player of the Week Jordan Woolery (UCLA), National Pitcher of the Week Kenzie Brown (Arizona State), and National Freshman of the Week Anna Moore (Purdue). She is joined on the mid-major list by Player of the Week Courtney Poulich (Robert Morris) and Pitcher of the Week Emily Delgado (Southern Illinois).
A native of Chino Hills, California, Becerra has made an immediate impact in her first season with the Thunderbirds. The freshman is batting .326 with 42 hits on the year, including seven doubles, two triples, and a team-leading seven home runs, while driving in 30 runs.
Her continued emergence has provided a major boost to Southern Utah's offense as the Thunderbirds push toward the final stretch of conference play.
On Deck
The Thunderbirds will hit the road this weekend to continue WAC action with a three-game series at UT Arlington. The series begins Friday, April 24, with a doubleheader starting at noon MT, before concluding Saturday, April 25, at 11:00 a.m. MT. Live stats and streaming information will be available on suutbirds.com.
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