Francis Marion University junior right-handed pitcher Jenna Walling has been named the Conference Carolinas Scholar-Athlete of the Year for softball, as the conference recently unveiled its 2025 Spring Scholar-Athletes of the Year presented by Hudl.

The Scholar-Athlete awards presented by Hudl are presented annually to one individual in each conference sponsored sport. The Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners are chosen by the Conference Carolinas Student-Athlete Affairs and Awards Committee.

To be considered, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher, and must have been named All-Conference in their sport and chosen to the Academic All-Conference squad.

Walling, a native of Johns Island, S.C., recently graduated in three years summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, finishing with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

She was a first-team NFCA All-Southeast Region selection and was named to the second-team D2CCA All-Region squad.  In addition to earning first-team All-Conference recognition for the second time, she was named the conference tournament Most Valuable Player and was placed on the conference's All-Defensive Team. 

Walling also earned Academic All-Conference honors for the second time and was a finalist for the conference's top overall senior award, the Murphy Osborne Award.  She is a two-time NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree, a member of Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society, was a member of the University's Honors College, and received the school's Swamp Fox Academic Award for 2024-25.  She served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee this past year and earned a Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award in 2024.  She has been placed on the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic and Conference Carolinas Presidential honor rolls for all of her semesters.

In the pitching circle, she registered a 20-3 record with a 1.88 earned run average and a school-record four saves. She logged 14 complete games and fanned 133 batters in 156 innings, while leading the conference in opponents' batting average against (.204). She ranked 34th in Division II with a 1.04 WHIP, 37th in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (5.29), and 45th in ERA.

She helped lead Francis Marion to a record-setting 53-6 mark, a No.10 national ranking, and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Southeast Super Regional title game.  The Patriots won the East Division title and claimed their third consecutive Conference Carolinas Tournament championship.

Walling is a graduate of First Baptist School. 


        Jenna Walling