Bri Ellis Makes History as 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Arkansas senior first baseman Bri Ellis etched her name in softball history on Tuesday night by earning the prestigious 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. The announcement was made during the Women’s College World Series Banquet, held at the Science Museum Oklahoma.
Ellis expressed deep gratitude and pride upon receiving the honor, acknowledging the historical significance of the award. “This is such an important moment in softball history, and to know that my name will always be part of that is just surreal,” Ellis said. “I’m incredibly proud of myself and my teammates. Achievements like this are never solo efforts — every individual accolade is a reflection of the collective success of the team. I’m thankful to every one of my coaches who guided me throughout this journey. I’ll be grateful to them forever.”
With this recognition, Ellis becomes the first player in the University of Arkansas softball program to win the national honor. She is only the fifth non-pitcher to receive the award since it was first introduced in 2002. She joins an elite group of position players who have previously earned this distinction, including Stacey Nuveman (UCLA, 2002), Ashley Hansen (Stanford, 2011), Sierra Romero (Michigan, 2016), and Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma, 2021-22). Ellis is also only the third player from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to receive the award, following Florida’s Lauren Haeger in 2015 and Tennessee’s Monica Abbott in 2007.
A native of Houston, Texas, Ellis delivered one of the most dominant offensive campaigns in NCAA Division I history. Over the course of the 2025 season, she posted staggering numbers, finishing with a .440 batting average, 26 home runs, 72 runs batted in (RBI), 146 total bases, 69 walks, and 68 runs scored. Her slugging percentage was an astonishing 1.090, while her on-base percentage reached .639 — combining for a remarkable on-base plus slugging (OPS) of 1.729. Each of these statistics, from home runs to OPS, set new single-season records for the Arkansas program. Her 26 home runs also tied the SEC’s all-time single-season record.
Nationally, Ellis was a standout in both power and plate discipline. She ended the regular season ranked second in the country in home runs per game (0.51) and walks per game (1.42). These numbers placed her in rare company, as she became the first player since Jen Yee of Georgia Tech in 2010 to finish in the top two nationally in both categories.
Throughout her 58-game season, Ellis homered approximately every 5.15 at-bats and drew a walk roughly every 3.17 plate appearances. Her 1.729 OPS was the third-highest in a single NCAA season since the stat started being officially recorded in 2016. Additionally, she joined a select group of players in NCAA history by batting over .480 and hitting 20 or more home runs in the same regular season — finishing with a .487 average and 25 home runs.
Ellis was just as formidable in SEC conference play. She hit .397 while leading the league with 11 home runs and 29 RBI. Her conference statistics included 27 walks, a .983 slugging percentage, a .606 on-base percentage, and a 1.589 OPS. She reached base in 22 of Arkansas’s 24 conference games, tallied nine multi-RBI performances, and had seven multi-hit games. She also ended SEC play on a 20-game streak of reaching base.
Defensively, Ellis was flawless. Playing first base, she recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage during SEC play, with 124 putouts and seven assists. Remarkably, she did not commit a single error in 307 total chances throughout SEC competition during her two years with the Razorbacks. For her stellar efforts, she earned First-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honors for the second consecutive season.
The 2025 season saw Ellis accumulate several major accolades. She was named National Player of the Year by Softball America, earned the SEC Player of the Year award, and received consistent recognition for her all-around excellence. Her ability to contribute on both sides of the field — dominating in the batter’s box and remaining flawless defensively — showcased her as a complete and exceptional athlete.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award is one of the highest honors in collegiate softball and is determined by a voting panel that includes representatives from nine Division I conferences across the 10 USA Softball regions, national softball media members, and previous recipients of the award. Ellis stood out among an elite group of finalists, which included Jordy Bahl of Nebraska — who earned both the 2025 Big Ten Pitcher and Player of the Year titles — and NiJaree Canady of Texas Tech, the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year.
Ellis’s historic achievement marks a milestone not only for herself but also for the University of Arkansas program. Her extraordinary season has set a new benchmark for excellence, and her impact on the game will be remembered for years to come. As Ellis’s name is forever etched into the history books, her legacy will serve as an inspiration for future generations of athletes striving for greatness in collegiate softball.
