Illinois, Nebraska and Northwestern Earn Big Ten Weekly Softball Awards
Fighting Illini’s Sickels, Huskers’ Bredwell and Wildcats’ Lewis recognized for top performances last week
Player of the Week
Rachel Lewis, Northwestern
Grad. – OF – Liberty Township, Ohio – Lakota East – Major: Learning & Organizational Change
• Piled up an .833 batting average, 2.833 slugging percentage and .900 on-base percentage in Northwestern’s three-game Big Ten sweep over visiting Purdue last weekend
• Drilled four home runs with nine RBI and 10 runs scored (crossing home on every plate appearance) during the series, with four of her five hits being home runs (she was intentionally walked in all three at-bats on Sunday)
• Hit two home runs each in NU’s run-rule wins on April 15 and 16, giving her 60 career home runs to break Tammy Williams’ program record (57 from 2006-09)
• Lewis is the fourth Big Ten player with 60 career home runs, joining Michigan’s Sierra Romero (82 from 2013-16), Michigan’s Samantha Findlay (62 from 2005-08) and Ohio State’s Sam Marder (61 from 2007-10)
• A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (2019, 2020, 2021) and 2021 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• Captures her fifth career Player of the Week honor and third this season
• Last Northwestern Player of the Week: Jordyn Rudd (April 11, 2022)
Pitcher of the Week
Sydney Sickels, Illinois
Grad. – RHP – Indianola, Iowa – Indianola – Graduate Field of Study: Recreation, Sport & Tourism
• Tossed 15.0 scoreless innings across three appearances last week, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, two complete-game shutouts and 21 strikeouts while allowing just nine hits
• Threw a complete-game two-hitter with 10 strikeouts against Indiana State on April 12
• Fanned 10 more batters in a complete-game seven-hit shutout of Rutgers on April 16
• Twice earned Academic All-Big Ten status (2020, 2021)
• Collects her fourth career Pitcher of the Week plaudit
• Last Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Tori McQueen (April 11, 2022)
Freshman of the Week
Ava Bredwell, Nebraska
C – Shawnee, Kan. – Mill Valley – Major: Biological Sciences
• Batted .643 with a .786 slugging percentage and .688 on-base percentage last week, collecting nine hits, six RBI and six runs scored as Nebraska extended its winning streak to 18 games with sweeps over Big Ten foes Iowa (two games) and Minnesota (three games)
• Had two hits, including a triple, and drove in five runs in the opener of the Huskers’ April 12 doubleheader sweep of Iowa
• Had three multi-hit and two multi-run games last week, including three hits and two runs in Sunday’s series finale vs. Minnesota, a win that saw Nebraska tie a school record by rallying from a seven-run deficit for the 11-8 victory
• Receives her first career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Nebraska Freshman of the Week: Billie Andrews (May 4, 2021)
2022 Big Ten Players of the Week
Feb. 14
PL: Abbie Squier, So., NEB
PL: Rachel Lewis, Grad., NU
P: Ashley Miller, So., MSU
F: Lauren Wiles, ILL
Feb. 21
PL: Jaelyn Vickery, So., ILL
PL: Sydney Gray, So., NEB
P: Alex Storako, Sr., MICH
F: Maddie Lawson, RU
March 1
PL: Mackense Greico, Sr., MD
P: Danielle Williams, Sr., NU
F: Maddie Lawson, RU
March 8
PL: Billie Andrews, So., NEB
P: Alex Storako, Sr., MICH
F: Stevie Meade, ILL
F: Brianna Copeland, IND
March 14
PL: Jaycee Ruberti, Sr., OSU
PL: Rachel Becker, Sr., PUR
P: Lexie Handley, Grad., OSU
F: Molly Schlosser, WIS
March 21
PL: Sam Hackenbracht, Jr., OSU
PL: Kyleigh Sand, So., RU
P: Danielle Williams, Sr., NU
P: Bailey Parshall, Sr., PSU
F: Kami Kortokrax, OSU
March 28
PL: Rachel Lewis, Grad., NU
PL: Gabrielle Callaway, Grad., RU
P: Danielle Williams, Sr., NU
F: Brianna Copeland, IND
April 4
PL: Ally Kurland, Sr., PSU
P: Lexie Handley, Grad., OSU
F: Brianna Copeland, IND
April 11
PL: Jordyn Rudd, Sr., NU
P: Tori McQueen, So., ILL
F: Taylor Minnick, IND
April 18
PL: Rachel Lewis, Grad., NU
P: Sydney Sickels, Grad., ILL
F: Ava Bredwell, NEB