First UK sports senior declares use of extra year of eligibility granted by NCAA
Softball pitcher Autumn Humes became the first University of Kentucky athlete to announce her intention to return to the Cats under the accommodation the NCAA made to allow seniors to have an extra year of eligibility because their spring season was cut short by the coronavirus outbreak.
“Hey, BBN! I’m happy to announce I’ll be taking the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA,” Humes posted on Twitter on Tuesday. “Although I’m overwhelmed with emotions, I am so blessed and excited to play in a Kentucky uniform one more year! Thank you to my teammates who I love so dearly, my coaches who push me to be my best, our softball staff who set us up for success and my family who supports me endlessly. See ya on the field in 2021!”
Humes, a Bald Knob, Ark., native, had a 5-0 record this season with a 3.19 ERA. As a pitcher and designated player appearing in 15 games this season she had already established career highs with four home runs and 15 RBI while hitting .300.
Among those home runs was a grand slam that helped Kentucky clinch its series against Texas A&M on March 9, just days before the season was suspended. It was one of two grand slams in the game for No. 11 Kentucky’s high-powered offense. Kentucky ranked first in the NCAA in scoring at 9.04 runs per game and was off to a 20-4 start.
Humes has a UK career record of 29-18 in the circle with a 3.23 ERA over 290.1 innings pitched.
“After talking with Autumn and allowing her some time to evaluate with her family, we’re excited to welcome her back for the 2021 season,” Kentucky Coach Rachel Lawson said. “Autumn is someone that all of the players on our team respect as a player and also off the field as a person. She is team-first oriented and that is shown by her Community Service CATSPY Award and her induction into the Frank G. Ham Society of Character. On the field, she will allow us to return all of our pitching staff for the second straight year and we look forward to having her on board for 2021.”
Humes made the All-Southeastern Conference Tournament team in 2019, helping the Cats to their seventh NCAA Super Regional in program history. The Division II transfer out of Harding University in Arkansas was the Division II National Freshman of the Year in 2017 and a first-ever transfer for Lawson at UK.
On March 30, the NCAA’s Division I Council voted to allow schools to provide an additional season for spring sports athletes as the result of seasons being canceled or suspended due to measures taken to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. College baseball, softball and track and field seasons had been well underway, but were also months from finishing when play was halted in early March.
This story was originally published April 28, 2020 at 5:02 PM.
