LOUISVILLE, Ky.- Kiran Sanford (Two Rivers/Mishicot) became the first Titan named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Region VIII Freshman of the Year on Tuesday (May 21) in the midst of her breakout debut season with UW-Oshkosh.
 
As the region freshman of the year, Sanford is a finalist for the NFCA's NCAA Division III National Freshman of the Year award, which will be announced on Tuesday (May 26) ahead of the start of the Division III Women's College World Series in Salem, Va.
 
The award annually honors the outstanding athletic achievement of freshmen in NCAA Division III. The regional finalists and the winner are chosen by the NFCA Division III All-America Committee, which includes one representative for each of the 10 regions. To be eligible, student-athletes must come from an NFCA-member institution.
 
Sanford, the WIAC Newcomer and Pitcher of the Year and a member of the NFCA All-Region VIII First Team, owns a 1.37 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP across 137.2 innings pitched. She has a 16-4 record with one save in 28 appearances, including 24 starts, and has struck out 168 batters against 27 walks while holding opposing batters to a .211 average.
 
The Two Rivers native threw 10 complete games this season and shut out opponents six times. Her 18 strikeouts against St. Norbert College on March 1 in her third career start are the second most in program and WIAC history. She eclipsed double-digit strikeouts three more times so far this season.
 
Headed into Thursday's game, Sanford ranked 10th in Division III with 166 strikeouts and seventh with 8.9 strikeouts per seven innings, 13th with a 6.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 17th with a 1.29 ERA and 16th with a 0.93 WHIP, 21st with six shutouts, 30th with 5.10 hits allowed per seven innings, and 38th with 16 victories.
 
Oshkosh (33-9-1, 11-3 WIAC) won the WIAC regular season title for the sixth time in program history (1984, 1985, 2007, 2021, 2024, 2026) and qualified for the Division III tournament as an at-large bid.
 
The Titans won the St. Louis, Mo. Regional with a trio of one-run victories. They opened their 13th Division III appearance with a 1-0, 12-inning win over Illinois College on May 14 before defeating host Washington University in St. Louis by matching scores of 2-1 on May 15 and 16, advancing to the Super Regional for the third time in program history.
 
Ahead of the NFCA's announcement on Thursday, Oshkosh played its first game of the Jackson, Miss. Super Regional against host Belhaven University. The Blazers won the first of the best-of-three series by a 5-1 tally, scoring four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk during Sanford's 4.1 innings of work.
 
The Titans will continue their postseason run on Friday (May 22) at 1 p.m. with a potential 3:30 p.m. contest with an Oshkosh win in the series' second game.