Drohan Wins Coach of the Year, Seven Wildcats Earn All-Big Ten Selections
5/10/2023 10:50:00 AM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Coming off its second-straight Big Ten regular season championship, Northwestern Softball took home a haul of Big Ten postseason awards on Wednesday, headlined by Kate Drohan being named the Big Ten Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career.
In addition, Nikki Cuchran and Danielle Williams earned First Team All-Big Ten selections, Hannah Cady, Jordyn Rudd, Skyler Shellmyer earned Second Team selections, while Kelsey Nader and Kansas Robinson were named to the All-Freshman Team. Rudd also earned All-Defensive Team honors for a third-consecutive season.
This marks the fifth time Drohan has won Big Ten Coach of the Year during her 22-year career at Northwestern, having also won the award in 2005, 2006, 2019 and 2022. Drohan's five Big Ten Coach of the Year awards rank as the second-most ever in conference history behind Michigan's Carol Hutchins. Drohan joins Hutchins as the only coach in Big Ten history to win back-to-back Coach of the Year honors, having also done so in 2005-06.
Williams becomes just the fifth pitcher in Big Ten Softball history and the third Wildcat ever to earn four First Team selections throughout her career, joining Lisa Ishikawa (1984-87) and Garland Cooper (2004-07). The left-handed ace led the Big Ten with a .179 opponent batting average and a 9.01 strikeouts per seven innings ratio in conference play. Williams posted a 17-1 overall record and a 12-0 record in conference play.
Cuchran earns First Team All-Big Ten recognition for the second consecutive season after posting a .420 batting average and 1.161 OPS in Big Ten play. The Downers Grove native posted a career-high .333 batting average this season to raise her career average to .317. She joins Garland Cooper (2004-07) and Sue Koopman (1984-85) as the only Wildcat first basemen to win multiple First Team All-Big Ten awards.
Rudd receives All-Defensive Team and All-Second Team honors. This marks her third-consecutive season receiving All-Defensive Team recognition and her fourth straight season earning All-Big Ten honors. Rudd hit .317 and posted a .991 OPS throughout the season, the second-best mark on the team, this season. Her .317 batting average ranks second among Big Ten catchers. She ranks second among catchers with nine doubles and tied for the conference lead with 24 hits in Big Ten play.
Shellmyer was named Second Team All-Big Ten, her third straight season earning All-Big Ten honors. Shellmyer led all Wildcats with a .338 batting average, marking her third-consecutive season leading the team in hits while also hitting over .330. She is the first Wildcat to hit over .330 in three-straight seasons since Sabrina Rabin (2015-18). Shellmyer also stole 11 bases in conference play, tied for the conference lead.
Cady was named Second Team All-Big Ten after earning First Team honors in 2022. She ranks third amongst all 'Cats with a 1.001 OPS, joining Rachel Lewis as the only Northwestern players to post a 1.000+ OPS in back-to-back Big Ten seasons in the past decade. Over the past two Big Ten seasons, Cady has hit .326 with a 1.075 OPS in her first two years in the starting lineup.
Robinson's breakout season earned her Big Ten All-Freshman Team status. Robinson led Northwestern with a 1.016 OPS in the regular season, as well as leading all 'Cats with a 1.175 OPS in Big Ten play, ranking 10th in the conference and third among first years. With her current team-leading 1.016 OPS, Robinson is on pace to join Rachel Lewis as the only first-years to lead Northwestern in OPS in the past decade.
Nader's Big Ten All-Freshman Team recognition comes on the heels of a stellar defensive campaign. The rookie from Canton, Michigan hit .323 in Big Ten play and stole five bases in as many attempts.
Kendall Peterson was honored as Northwestern's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient.
No. 1-seed Northwestern returns to action in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals at 4:30 p.m. CT on Thursday against the winner of the First Round contest between Maryland and Iowa.
