EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern has clinched a share of the Big Ten title for the second consecutive season. It is the ninth title in program history and fourth under Kate and Caryl Drohan.
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It is the first time since the 1986-87 seasons that the Wildcats have repeated as Big Ten champions. Northwestern also claimed the Big Ten title in 1982, 1984, 1985, 2006, and 2008.
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Needing a victory to clinch the title on Senior Day against Nebraska, the 'Cats rallied for six runs in the fifth inning to erase a five-run deficit. Following a nearly two-hour rain delay in the bottom of the fifth, senior ace Danielle Williams shut down Nebraska for the remainder of the game to earn the victory and become Northwestern's all-time wins leader with 98 career victories, passing Lisa Ishikawa (1984-87) and Eileen Canney (2004-07).
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Northwestern dominated Big Ten opponents en route to a 18-2 conference record. The 'Cats were the conference's highest scoring offense with 154 runs (7.7 runs per game), while leading the Big Ten with a .320 team batting average, 29 stolen bases, and 186 hits in conference play.
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Wildcat pitchers posted a 3.32 ERA against Big Ten opponents and led the conference with a .226 opponent batting average, while trailing only Minnesota for the conference lead with 139 strikeouts.
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The 'Cats went 10-0 at home in conference play, averaging 10.6 runs per game at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
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Nikki Cuchran ranked third in the Big Ten with a .441 average against conference opponents and posted a sixth-best 1.225 OPS.
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First-year Kansas Robinson exploded onto the scene in Big Ten play, hitting .296 with five home runs, 18 RBI, and a 1.118 OPS. It is the highest OPS by a NU first-year in conference play since Rachel Lewis in 2018.
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Hannah Cady tallied elite numbers in conference play for the second-straight year. Cady hit .296 with a 1.073 OPS, after hitting .371 with a 1.137 OPS last season. She joins Rachel Lewis as the only Wildcats to post a 1.000+ OPS in back-to-back Big Ten seasons in the past decade.
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Graduate students Skyler Shellmyer (.380) and Jordyn Rudd (.300), along with first-year Kelsey Nader (.327) all hit over .300 in the Big Ten season. Senior Angela Zedak blasted four home runs and drove in 14 runs during conference play.
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Lauren Boyd led the Big Ten with a 1.19 ERA in conference play. She is on pace to become the sixth Northwestern pitcher to win the Big Ten ERA title and first since Tatum Edwards in 2013.
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Danielle Williams recorded a 2.64 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 61.0 innings against Big Ten opponents, leading the conference with 9.64 strikeouts per seven innings.
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The 'Cats head to Piscataway, N.J. on Friday to finish the regular season at Rutgers, needing just one win or an Indiana loss to clinch the outright Big Ten title.
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It is the first time since the 1986-87 seasons that the Wildcats have repeated as Big Ten champions. Northwestern also claimed the Big Ten title in 1982, 1984, 1985, 2006, and 2008.
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Needing a victory to clinch the title on Senior Day against Nebraska, the 'Cats rallied for six runs in the fifth inning to erase a five-run deficit. Following a nearly two-hour rain delay in the bottom of the fifth, senior ace Danielle Williams shut down Nebraska for the remainder of the game to earn the victory and become Northwestern's all-time wins leader with 98 career victories, passing Lisa Ishikawa (1984-87) and Eileen Canney (2004-07).
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Northwestern dominated Big Ten opponents en route to a 18-2 conference record. The 'Cats were the conference's highest scoring offense with 154 runs (7.7 runs per game), while leading the Big Ten with a .320 team batting average, 29 stolen bases, and 186 hits in conference play.
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Wildcat pitchers posted a 3.32 ERA against Big Ten opponents and led the conference with a .226 opponent batting average, while trailing only Minnesota for the conference lead with 139 strikeouts.
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The 'Cats went 10-0 at home in conference play, averaging 10.6 runs per game at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.
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Nikki Cuchran ranked third in the Big Ten with a .441 average against conference opponents and posted a sixth-best 1.225 OPS.
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First-year Kansas Robinson exploded onto the scene in Big Ten play, hitting .296 with five home runs, 18 RBI, and a 1.118 OPS. It is the highest OPS by a NU first-year in conference play since Rachel Lewis in 2018.
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Hannah Cady tallied elite numbers in conference play for the second-straight year. Cady hit .296 with a 1.073 OPS, after hitting .371 with a 1.137 OPS last season. She joins Rachel Lewis as the only Wildcats to post a 1.000+ OPS in back-to-back Big Ten seasons in the past decade.
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Graduate students Skyler Shellmyer (.380) and Jordyn Rudd (.300), along with first-year Kelsey Nader (.327) all hit over .300 in the Big Ten season. Senior Angela Zedak blasted four home runs and drove in 14 runs during conference play.
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Lauren Boyd led the Big Ten with a 1.19 ERA in conference play. She is on pace to become the sixth Northwestern pitcher to win the Big Ten ERA title and first since Tatum Edwards in 2013.
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Danielle Williams recorded a 2.64 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 61.0 innings against Big Ten opponents, leading the conference with 9.64 strikeouts per seven innings.
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The 'Cats head to Piscataway, N.J. on Friday to finish the regular season at Rutgers, needing just one win or an Indiana loss to clinch the outright Big Ten title.