Bri Ellis and Ella McDowell Earn NFCA All-America Honors in Historic Season for Arkansas Softball
The Arkansas Razorbacks softball program had a landmark moment on Wednesday as two of its standout players, senior Bri Ellis and freshman Ella McDowell, were recognized among the nation’s elite. The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) named Ellis a First-Team All-American and McDowell a Third-Team All-American, celebrating their remarkable contributions during the 2024 season.
For Ellis, this honor was especially significant. She was unanimously voted onto the First Team, becoming the first player in the history of Arkansas softball to achieve such a distinction. It also marked her second consecutive year earning NFCA All-America recognition, having been named to the Second Team the previous season. Meanwhile, McDowell’s selection made her the first freshman in Arkansas softball history to receive NFCA All-America honors. The Razorbacks joined an elite group of only 12 programs nationally to have multiple players honored as All-Americans this year.
Ellis’s 2024 season was nothing short of legendary. The reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, Ellis posted staggering offensive numbers, making a compelling case as one of the most dominant hitters in NCAA history. She finished the year with a .440 batting average, clobbered 26 home runs, drove in 72 runs, and accumulated 146 total bases. Additionally, she tallied 69 walks and crossed the plate 68 times. Her offensive prowess was underscored by a 1.090 slugging percentage, a .639 on-base percentage, and a jaw-dropping 1.729 OPS.
These stats weren’t just impressive—they were historic. Ellis set single-season records for Arkansas in home runs, RBIs, runs scored, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. Her 26 homers tied the Southeastern Conference (SEC) single-season record. Nationally, she ranked second in home runs per game (0.51) and walks per game (1.42). In fact, she became the first player since Georgia Tech’s Jen Yee in 2010 to rank in the top two in the nation in both categories by the end of the regular season.
Throughout her 58 games played, Ellis homered once every 5.15 at-bats and drew a walk roughly every 3.17 plate appearances. Her 1.729 OPS was the third-highest in the country since the NCAA began officially tracking the statistic in 2016. She joined an ultra-exclusive club of NCAA hitters by finishing the regular season with a batting average above .480 while hitting over 20 home runs, joining only five other players in NCAA history to do so—accomplishing this with a .487 average and 25 home runs.
In SEC competition, Ellis maintained her high level of play, batting .397 while leading the league in home runs (11) and RBIs (29). She also drew 27 walks, slugged .983, and posted an on-base percentage of .606, culminating in an SEC OPS of 1.589. She consistently contributed, reaching base in 22 of Arkansas’s 24 conference games and notching nine multi-RBI games and seven multi-hit games. She closed SEC play riding a 20-game reached-base streak.
Defensively, Ellis was a model of perfection. She recorded a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage in SEC games, finishing with 124 putouts and seven assists and not a single error in 307 total chances. Across her two seasons at Arkansas, she never committed an error in conference play. Her defensive excellence, combined with her offensive dominance, earned her All-Defensive Team honors for the second straight year.
While Ellis represents veteran excellence, McDowell’s recognition signals the bright future ahead for Arkansas softball. In her debut season, the freshman third baseman from Richmond, Texas, made an immediate impact with her bat and glove. She ended her first collegiate season with a .352 batting average, 63 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, and 54 RBIs. She also added 21 walks to her resume, producing a .425 on-base percentage and a .961 OPS.
McDowell ranked second on the team in hits and assists and tied for third in home runs. Her consistency at the plate was evident in her 18 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI performances. At one point during the season, she enjoyed a 16-game reached-base streak along with a seven-game hitting streak. On defense, she began her freshman campaign with a 29-game errorless streak. She ended the season with a .969 fielding percentage, collecting 79 assists and 44 putouts across 127 defensive chances.
In SEC play, McDowell elevated her game even further. She batted .366 in conference matchups, totaling 30 hits, including three doubles, a triple, and three home runs. She drove in 25 runs, walked eight times, and produced a .537 slugging percentage and a .435 on-base percentage in 24 SEC contests. At third base, she continued to be reliable, posting a .964 fielding percentage with 25 putouts and 28 assists in conference play.
McDowell’s .352 average and .425 OBP rank among the best freshman seasons in Arkansas history (minimum 100 at-bats), showcasing her exceptional maturity and poise for a first-year player. Her combination of offensive productivity and defensive stability bodes well for Arkansas as they look to build on their recent success.
The achievements of both Ellis and McDowell reflect the growth and national prominence of Arkansas softball. Ellis’s dominance and historic numbers, combined with McDowell’s breakout season, underscore the depth of talent on the Razorbacks’ roster. Their All-America selections serve not only as personal milestones but also as evidence of Arkansas’s rise in the college softball landscape.
As Ellis closes out her illustrious college career and McDowell begins hers, both players have etched their names in the program’s record books. Their accomplishments are a testament to hard work, resilience, and the continued evolution of a powerhouse in the making at Arkansas.
