[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 25, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H2925-H2926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING BRI ELLIS

  (Mr. Womack of Arkansas was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor University of Arkansas 
softball sensation Bri Ellis, the Southeastern Conference and USA 
Softball Player of the Year in NCAA women's college softball in 2025.

[[Page H2926]]

  Mr. Speaker, before I speak to her personal credentials, I will say 
the Razorback softball team had another banner season, albeit short of 
qualifying for the Women's College Softball World Series.
  The Hogs advanced to its fourth super regional in program history. 
Under Coach Courtney Deifel, Razorback softball has steadily climbed in 
the rankings over the last several seasons. Much of that success over 
recent years is clearly due to attracting quality players like Bri 
Ellis.
  Bri is a native of Houston, Texas. She is a graduate of Memorial High 
School in Hedwig Village, Texas, and is the 20th ranked player in the 
Nation. She signed with Auburn and played two seasons with the Tigers 
before entering the transfer portal and coming to Arkansas.
  As a junior, she became a first-team All-SEC player, and it got 
better in her senior season. This year, Bri hit .440, with 59 hits, 9 
doubles, 26 home runs, and 72 RBIs. She posted a nation-leading 1.142 
slugging percentage and a .646 on-base percentage.

  Her talent and skills made things difficult on opposing teams, but no 
one sequence during the year better described this young lady's ability 
than a game against Georgia in the 2025 SEC tournament in Athens.
  Realizing her prowess, the Georgia strategy was to limit any damage 
Bri could inflict on the Bulldogs by refusing to pitch to her, 
effectively surrendering to her as a base runner, with nine straight 
pitches out of the strike zone. She was walked twice and then hit by a 
pitch in her first three at-bats but then came the bottom of the 
seventh and final inning. The score was tied at 1-1, and Arkansas had 
loaded the bases ahead of--you guessed it--Bri Ellis. One run wins the 
game. Georgia had to pitch to her.
  On the 10th pitch that she saw that day, Bri did what Bri does best. 
She launched one deep over the left-field fence for a walk-off grand 
slam home run.
  No moment in Razorback softball history fully captures the impact 
that this outstanding player has had on the sport in Fayetteville than 
that game.
  Softball experts, recognizing her accomplishments, made her only the 
fifth position player to win the Player of the Year honor. Bri Ellis 
didn't just elevate Razorback softball. She became a Bogle Field legend 
at Arkansas.
  I join her parents, Ron and Molly Ellis, and her sister, Emily, in 
congratulating Bri for an outstanding collegiate career and the legacy 
she leaves at the University of Arkansas.
  Go Hogs.

                          Honoring Wehiwa Aloy

  Mr. WOMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor University of Arkansas 
baseball sensation Wehiwa Aloy, the 2025 Golden Spikes Award recipient 
given to the top amateur baseball player in the United States.
  This great shortstop propelled the Razorbacks to the semifinals of 
the Men's College World Series in Omaha. Previous to this honor, Wehiwa 
was named the 2025 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.
  Aloy was one of college baseball's most electrifying all-around 
players in 2025. This Wailuku, Hawaii, native started all 65 games at 
shortstop during the season, and he turned in one of the best offensive 
campaigns in Razorback history.
  He led the team in nearly every major category, including slugging 
percentage, on-base plus slugging, hits, runs scored, doubles, triples, 
home runs, extra-base hits, multihit games, and total bases. In many of 
these categories, he ranks among the top 10 in the program's single-
season record book.
  Defensively, Aloy dazzled with just 5 errors in 229 total chances 
while helping turn 31 double plays during the 2025 season.
  Wehiwa reached the pinnacle of collegiate baseball without having 
earned major offers out of Baldwin High School on Maui. Yet, after a 
year at Sacramento State, he transferred to Arkansas and found his 
groove.
  He captured the hearts and minds of Razorback fans everywhere. In 
fact, Baum-Walker Stadium looked more like a luau on game day, with so 
many fans donning leis, Hawaiian shirts, and other island merchandise 
in recognition of his native Hawaii.
  He joins former Razorbacks Andrew Benintendi and Kevin Kopps as the 
only Arkansas players with national player of the year honors.
  Mr. Speaker, this has been an unprecedented spring at Arkansas, with 
Razorback athletes claiming player of the year honors in both softball 
and baseball. That has never happened before.
  I join his parents, Jamie and Napua; his brother and teammate, Kuhio; 
and his sister, Kiani, in congratulating Wehiwa Aloy for his Golden 
Spikes Award and his impact on Razorback baseball. We wish him well as 
he embarks on what should be a promising professional career.
  Go Hogs.

                          ____________________