Northwestern University Athletics
#TBT: First All-American Hebson Set Standard For NU
10/25/2018 3:10:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Sophomore Rachel Lewis broke the Northwestern softball dumbbell bench press record last week, completing six reps with 75 pounds in each arm to best the previous mark of 72.5 pounds per arm set by NU Athletic Hall of Famer Garland Cooper (2004-07).
Say hello to Northwestern Softball's newest bench press record holder, Rachel Lewis! Rachel benched 6 reps at 75 lbs., breaking our previous record holder & NU Hall of Famer @garlandcooper 's max of 70 lbs. Congrats @rlewis_11 ! pic.twitter.com/dqDKEoKSjX
— NorthwesternSoftball (@NUSBcats) October 23, 2018
On #ThrowbackThursday, we pivot from NU's most-recent All-American Lewis to the program's very first All-American, Sue Hebson, who set and still holds the Northwestern softball record with a bar bench press of 210 pounds (165 lbs. plus the bar).
Hebson played for the Wildcats from 1980-83, winning the first of Northwestern's 20 all-time All-America awards during the 1982 season. NU's starting shortstop that year, Hebson led the 'Cats to the very first Big Ten championship ever awarded. In fact, it was the first Big Ten championship won by any women's sport at Northwestern.
Hebson batted .317 with seven home runs and 13 extra-base hits in her All-America season, striking out just five times in 123 at-bats. In addition to leading NU in homers, the incredibly athletic Hebson also had a team-best eight stolen bases.
It was Hebson's approach to the game that set the tone for the early years of Northwestern softball. Though she never took the field at the Women's College World Series, Hebson is one of those primarily responsible for NU's three appearances from 1984-86 following her graduation.
Hebson's influence is still felt. Her model of athleticism that led the 'Cats in power and speed in 1982 is still on display in the form of Wildcats like Lewis. In a different era with different offensive stats, Lewis led Northwestern with 17 home runs as a first-year in 2018 while also swiping 24 bases.
Northwestern's signature offseason program "Phase II" is well underway for the 2019 campaign, and the 'Cats are already raising the bar in the next chapter of Hebson's Wildcats legacy.
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