LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Carson-Newman freshman Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) is one of eight national finalists for the TUCCI/NFCA Division II Freshman of the Year, the NFCA announced Wednesday afternoon. 

Bailey, representing the Southeast Region, joins West Chester's Danielle Ciliberto (Atlantic), Central Oklahoma's Emily Deramus (Central), Bridgeport's Mya Jones (East), McKendree's Lauren Harris (Midwest), UAH's Katie Bracken (South), West Texas A&M's Emilee Boyer (South Central) and Biola's Colby McClinton (West) for consideration for the award, which will be announced on Thursday, May 23.

All eight finalists were voted NFCA First- or Second-Team All-Region. Three of the finalists – Bailey (South Atlantic Conference), Harris (Great Lakes Valley Conference) and McClinton (PacWest Conference) – were named their league's Freshman and Player of the Year.

Created in 2015, this is Carson-Newman's first time with a finalist for the award. 

Bailey is the first freshman to earn all-region laurels since Lacie Rinus and Abby Fiessinger both did so in 2017.  Bailey is the first player in South Atlantic Conference history to take home both Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season.

Carson-Newman designated player Macauley Bailey (Cross Plains, Tenn.) was unveiled as both the league's Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the annual release of postseason awards Wednesday afternoon.

Bailey becomes Carson-Newman's 19th SAC Player of the Year and sixth Freshman of the Year.  While Bailey is the first Eagle to take home Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year in the same season, former C-N All-American Lacie Rinus brought home Freshman of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors in 2017. Rinus also went on to be named SAC tournament MVP that season.

The Cross Plains, Tenn.-native is the Carson-Newman's first Freshman of the Year honoree since Rinus won in 2017. She is the first Player of the Year since Rinus picked up that plaudit in 2018.  Carson-Newman's 19 Player of the Year honorees are the most in the league.

Bailey has consistently been in the top five nationally throughout the season in RBI.  She finished with 67, which is sixth in the nation both overall and but first in terms of games played.  She was eight RBI away from matching Carson-Newman's Brittany Hefner and her single-season SAC and school record of 75.

She drove in a run in 21 of her last 29 games and had 17 games this year where she drove in multiple runs.  Her 67 RBI are good for the fourth-most in a single-season in school history, and two away from third place and Hall of Famer Whitney Hickam (2008).

Bailey has set a litany of freshman records.  She had the most RBI of any freshman in school history, as well as the most home runs (15), longest hitting streak (18) and the highest slugging percentage (.818). Her home runs are good for the second-highest single-season total in school history overall, while the hitting streak is tied for fourth and the slugging percentage sits in seventh.

From March 1 through April 11, Bailey hit successfully in 18 straight games.  In that span she drove in a run in all but two games, collecting 32 RBI overall in that stretch.

Bailey was named SAC and TSWA Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks on March 12 and 19.

2023 TUCCI/NFCA DII National Freshman of the Year Finalists
Atlantic – Danielle Ciliberto, West Chester University, Pitcher

Central – Emily Deramus, University of Central Oklahoma, Shortstop

East – Mya Jones, University of Bridgeport, Third Base

Midwest – Lauren Harris, McKendree University, Shortstop

South – Katie Bracken, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Pitcher

South Central – Emilee Boyer, West Texas A&M University, Utility/Pitcher

Southeast – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman University, DP or Utility/Non-Pitcher

West – Colby McClinton, Biola University, Shortstop