Courtesy of Arizona Communication Services
TUCSON, Ariz. – Redshirt sophomore first baseman Alyssa Palomino has been named a first-team NFCA All-American, earning Arizona’s 100th All-America honor in school history.
Palomino becomes Arizona’s 51st individual All-American and UA’s 22nd player to earn first-team All-America honors.
The Mission Viejo, California native was one of the most feared hitters in the country in 2018. She led the Wildcats in batting average (.363), home runs (19), slugging percentage (.750) and on-base percentage (.446).
Palomino is the Pac-12’s current leader in home runs and slugging percentage and is third in the league with 126 total bases. Though Palomino’s home run total could be eclipsed in this weekend’s Women’s College World Series, she is trying to extend Arizona’s streak to five consecutive years with the Pac-12’s home run leader or co-leader (2014 – Chelsea Goodacre, 22; 2015 – Katiyana Mauga, 26; 2016 – Katiyana Mauga, 21; 2017 – Katiyana Mauga, 25).
The sophomore is receiving her first ever All-America nod. She was a first-team all-Pac-12 and all-NFCA West Region selection this season after receiving first-team all-region and second-team all-conference recognition last season.
Palomino, who was the only player in the Pac-12 to hit .360 with more than 12 home runs, had 17 multi-hit games, second most on the team, and 14 games with multiple RBI, second most on the team. She started 56 games at first base, hit .363 with eight doubles, 19 home runs and 42 RBI. She also drew 21 walks, third most on the team.
She made the switch to first base this season after two torn ACLs in each of her first two seasons at Arizona and had a .987 fielding percentage at her new position.
Palomino joins classmate Jessie Harper as current Wildcats to earn All-America honors; Harper was a first-team All-American in 2017 as a freshman. Arizona has now had at least one All-American in 25 of the last 28 years.
