LOUISVILLE, Ky. — San Francisco State center fielder
Brylynn Vallejos is among the 25 student-athletes from across the country who were narrowed down from 50 as part of the 2022 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year awards watch list. She is just one of two outfielders named to the list and just one of three players from the CCAA.
Vallejos, who was named 2022 CCAA Softball Most Valuable Player and to the All-CCAA First Team, was an offensive juggernaut at the top of the order all season for the Gators. The sophomore started all 53 games in center field and led the CCAA in hits (75), doubles (18), home runs (10), and runs scored (64). She ranked fourth in batting average (.408), third in on-base percentage (.464), and second in both slugging percentage (.717) and stolen bases (37). Vallejos also ranked fifth in the conference with five triples.
Her stolen bases rank 11th among NCAA Division II players, her 75 hits rank 13th in the nation, and her 132 total bases rank 16th in the nation. Her 1.21 runs per game also rank tenth. The Reno native posted multi-hit games in 23-of-53 contests, including two different 4-for-4 performances.
In 2020, Vallejos was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team and a CCAA All-Star in the pandemic-shortened season. As a freshman in 2019, she was named a finalist for National Player of the Year and National Freshman of the Year and earned NFCA All-American Second Team and All-West Region First Team honors, D2 CCA All-West Region First Team honors, and was the CCAA Freshman of the Year and an All-CCAA First Team selection. She has twice been named to the NFCA Top 50 Watch List, in 2020 and again this season.
At .426, Vallejos is the first Gator to post a career batting average over .400. Vallejos is also the program leader in stolen bases (97), and is among the Top 10 career leader in nearly every offensive category, and holds several single-season records.
The Player of the Year award was created in 2015 to honor the outstanding athletic achievements among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. In 2019, the Association expanded the award to include a Player and Pitcher of the Year. The list is compiled and the award is voted on by the elected members of the NFCA Division II All-American Committee with one head coach representing each of the eight NCAA regions. To be eligible, a student-athlete's head coach must be a member. The winner of each award will be announced on June 2, following the conclusion of the 2022 season.
