Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: S. J. Carrera, Inc.
Five Wildcats Win NFCA All-Region Selection
5/17/2018 11:17:00 AM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – First-team selections Rachel Lewis and Morgan Nelson lead a quintet of Wildcats named NFCA All-Great Lakes Region selections, the organization announced Thursday.
Lewis is a first-teamer at second base while Nelson was named a first-team outfielder. Senior Sabrina Rabin was named a second-team outfield selection, joining first-year Kenna Wilkey, who was the second-team choice in the DP/Utility category. Sophomore Morgan Newport is a third-team selection at DP/Utility.
The five honorees are the most for the Wildcats since six picked up awards in 2015. Northwestern has multiple first-team selections for the first time since Adrienne Monka, Nicole Pauly and Tammy Williams all were first-teamers in 2009.
Of special note is Rabin, who—despite the storied history of great student-athletes and All-Americans who have passed through this program—is just the fifth four-time All-Region choice in school history. She joins previous GOATs Lisa Ishikawa (1984-87), Eileen Canney (2004-07), Garland Cooper (2004-07) and Tammy Williams (2006-09).
Lewis, a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection and one of 10 finalists for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award, is one of the top run producers in the entire nation. In addition to ranking among the top-20 in the country in RBIs, home runs and runs per game, Lewis won the Big Ten regular-season overall RBI (59) and runs scored (53) crowns in 2018. She's fast in addition to powerful: Lewis has 24 stolen bases this season, as well.
Nelson picked up her second NFCA All-Region award after being named a third-teamer as a first-year in 2016. She has been an all-around performer for the Wildcats, batting .342 with 24 extra base hits and 47 RBIs with 20 stolen bases. Nelson also was a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2018.
The 2015 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Rabin earned second-team All-Region accolades in 2015, 2016 and 2018. She was a third-teamer in 2017. Rabin is capping her career in stellar fashion with 51 runs scored and 33 stolen bases this season. She currently ranks third in Big Ten history with 128 steals and fifth with 202 runs scored. Nationally, Rabin is top-30 in total hits, stolen bases and runs scored.
Wilkey took on ace duties in the circle for Northwestern this season, compiling an 18-5 record that at one point included a personal 10-game winning streak. Wilkey's 18 wins are the most for a first-year student-athlete at NU since Lauren Delaney went 19-2 during the 2007 World Series season.
Wilkey also is pounding the ball at the plate, driving in 31 runs and clubbing six home runs this season. In her very first collegiate at-bat, Wilkey smoked a three-run home run on Opening Day against San Diego State.
Newport is also having a strong season at the plate and in the circle. She is batting .286 on the year in streaky fashion: 21 of her 24 hits this year have coming on multi-hit days. In the circle, she has stepped out of the bullpen role she developed as a first-year to become a strong starter. She has a 14-7 record this year with a trio of shutouts including a four-hitter against No. 11 Alabama and a no-hitter versus Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.
NU opens its NCAA Athens Regional schedule at 11 a.m. CT/noon ET Friday, May 18, against California on ESPNU.
Lewis is a first-teamer at second base while Nelson was named a first-team outfielder. Senior Sabrina Rabin was named a second-team outfield selection, joining first-year Kenna Wilkey, who was the second-team choice in the DP/Utility category. Sophomore Morgan Newport is a third-team selection at DP/Utility.
The five honorees are the most for the Wildcats since six picked up awards in 2015. Northwestern has multiple first-team selections for the first time since Adrienne Monka, Nicole Pauly and Tammy Williams all were first-teamers in 2009.
Of special note is Rabin, who—despite the storied history of great student-athletes and All-Americans who have passed through this program—is just the fifth four-time All-Region choice in school history. She joins previous GOATs Lisa Ishikawa (1984-87), Eileen Canney (2004-07), Garland Cooper (2004-07) and Tammy Williams (2006-09).
Lewis, a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection and one of 10 finalists for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award, is one of the top run producers in the entire nation. In addition to ranking among the top-20 in the country in RBIs, home runs and runs per game, Lewis won the Big Ten regular-season overall RBI (59) and runs scored (53) crowns in 2018. She's fast in addition to powerful: Lewis has 24 stolen bases this season, as well.
Nelson picked up her second NFCA All-Region award after being named a third-teamer as a first-year in 2016. She has been an all-around performer for the Wildcats, batting .342 with 24 extra base hits and 47 RBIs with 20 stolen bases. Nelson also was a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2018.
The 2015 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Rabin earned second-team All-Region accolades in 2015, 2016 and 2018. She was a third-teamer in 2017. Rabin is capping her career in stellar fashion with 51 runs scored and 33 stolen bases this season. She currently ranks third in Big Ten history with 128 steals and fifth with 202 runs scored. Nationally, Rabin is top-30 in total hits, stolen bases and runs scored.
Wilkey took on ace duties in the circle for Northwestern this season, compiling an 18-5 record that at one point included a personal 10-game winning streak. Wilkey's 18 wins are the most for a first-year student-athlete at NU since Lauren Delaney went 19-2 during the 2007 World Series season.
Wilkey also is pounding the ball at the plate, driving in 31 runs and clubbing six home runs this season. In her very first collegiate at-bat, Wilkey smoked a three-run home run on Opening Day against San Diego State.
Newport is also having a strong season at the plate and in the circle. She is batting .286 on the year in streaky fashion: 21 of her 24 hits this year have coming on multi-hit days. In the circle, she has stepped out of the bullpen role she developed as a first-year to become a strong starter. She has a 14-7 record this year with a trio of shutouts including a four-hitter against No. 11 Alabama and a no-hitter versus Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament.
NU opens its NCAA Athens Regional schedule at 11 a.m. CT/noon ET Friday, May 18, against California on ESPNU.
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