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Danielle Williams Earns NFCA All-America Honors
5/29/2019 1:45:00 PM | Softball
Williams is the 12th All-American in Northwestern history and the sixth Wildcat rookie ever to earn All-American status.
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern first-year Danielle Williams has been named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American, the organization announced Wednesday.
Williams, who won a third-team honoree as a pitcher, is the 12th All-American in program history, joining a group that has totaled 21 All-America awards. The rookie southpaw is the sixth first-year player in program history to earn All-American status, joining a select group that includes Lisa Ishikawa (1984), Stephanie Churchwell (2005), Tammy Williams (2006), Adrienne Monka (2009) and Rachel Lewis (2018).
Additionally, this marks the 16th All-America honor earned by a player in the 18-year tenure of Kate and Caryl Drohan, including the fourth by a pitcher.
This awards marks another accolade to add to a phenomenal rookie campaign for Williams, who on Tuesday became the first player in Big Ten history to be named the Schutt Sports / NFCA National Freshman of the Year. She was also named the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, along with earning unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors, as well as first team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region recognition.
The first-year from Pleasanton, Calif. led the Big Ten this season with 31 wins and 13 shutouts to go along with a 1.55 ERA (51 ER/230.0 IP) and 317 strikeouts. She joins a select list of Wildcats as one of just four pitchers in program history to win at least 30 games in a season while posting over 300 strikeouts, the others being Ishikawa (1984), Eileen Canney (2007) and Lauren Delaney (2008).
As a team, Northwestern finished the season with a 47-13 record, including a 21-2 record in the Big Ten, the most conference wins in program history. The Wildcats were selected as a Top-16 seed in the NCAA Tournament and made their fifth NCAA Super Regional appearance under head coach Kate Drohan.
Williams, who won a third-team honoree as a pitcher, is the 12th All-American in program history, joining a group that has totaled 21 All-America awards. The rookie southpaw is the sixth first-year player in program history to earn All-American status, joining a select group that includes Lisa Ishikawa (1984), Stephanie Churchwell (2005), Tammy Williams (2006), Adrienne Monka (2009) and Rachel Lewis (2018).
Additionally, this marks the 16th All-America honor earned by a player in the 18-year tenure of Kate and Caryl Drohan, including the fourth by a pitcher.
This awards marks another accolade to add to a phenomenal rookie campaign for Williams, who on Tuesday became the first player in Big Ten history to be named the Schutt Sports / NFCA National Freshman of the Year. She was also named the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, along with earning unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors, as well as first team NFCA All-Great Lakes Region recognition.
The first-year from Pleasanton, Calif. led the Big Ten this season with 31 wins and 13 shutouts to go along with a 1.55 ERA (51 ER/230.0 IP) and 317 strikeouts. She joins a select list of Wildcats as one of just four pitchers in program history to win at least 30 games in a season while posting over 300 strikeouts, the others being Ishikawa (1984), Eileen Canney (2007) and Lauren Delaney (2008).
As a team, Northwestern finished the season with a 47-13 record, including a 21-2 record in the Big Ten, the most conference wins in program history. The Wildcats were selected as a Top-16 seed in the NCAA Tournament and made their fifth NCAA Super Regional appearance under head coach Kate Drohan.
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