This is nothing new for Sami Fagan.
For the second time this season, the freshman third baseman was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week prior to Florida’s matchup against UCF on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
The award comes on the heels of Fagan’s best offensive effort so far this season. In three games against Ole Miss and one against No. 21 Florida State, Fagan knocked in seven runs, including her first home run of the year in Tallahassee.
But for Fagan, racking up accolades won’t change her as a player.
“It doesn’t really affect me that much,” she said. “I appreciate the award but I’m still going to be doing everything I have been doing the exact same way. We came in here doing the same thing we’ve been doing since the summer. So we’re just playing how we’ve always played.”
However, Fagan’s play has actually improved since she won the award back on Feb. 19. The freshman from Dunnellon ranks second among active Gators with a .370 batting average and 47 hits. And now the speedy, hit-for-contact leadoff hitter has shown her power and ability to knock in runs this past week.
Fagan has hit more than a third of her 20 RBI in the last four games. She had at least one RBI in every game last week while totaling five hits and six runs.
But Fagan isn’t the only Florida freshman worthy of conference accolades.
Lauren Haeger knows what it takes to win a collegiate award, having garnered a team-high three SEC Freshman of the Week honors. Though five of UF’s nine conference and national awards this season have come from the two freshmen, neither of them has grown overconfident.
Haeger said she and Fagan have successfully avoided that.
“My head has never gotten big from that,” she said. “We’re just the same. We’re always just ourselves. It is always nice to get your name out there but it really doesn’t affect us on the field.”
And it’s not just Haeger and Fagan pulling the load for the freshman class.
Bailey Castro has a chance to become the third award-winning freshman on the team thanks to her recent success.
She hit three homers over the weekend, including two on Sunday in a seven-RBI performance that tied the UF single-game RBI record.
“I think Bailey will win that award, definitely,” Haeger said. “She is a great hitter and it’s so great to have her back in our lineup and doing well, getting back to her normal self.”
Earning the honor after being sidelined with a leg injury earlier this season would not only exemplify Castro’s power, but her perseverance as well.
“It would be a good accomplishment,” Castro said. “I’m just trying to do good for the team and if it comes it would be great. Everyone always hopes to win something, so it would be nice if it happens.”
Coach Tim Walton is perhaps the proudest of the success the freshmen have had this season. After all, he’s the one who brought everyone to Gainesville in the first place.
“I’m sure he’s very proud of us,” Haeger said. “I think he thinks it’s great that we win this stuff because it gets us recognized and gets our names out there and to let people know that we are a bunch of freshmen, but we can play.”
Third baseman Sami Fagan won her second Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors after notching seven RBI, including a homer, in her last four games.
