Ohio State, Northwestern, Indiana and Michigan Earn Big Ten Softball Weekly Awards
Player of the Week
Kami Kortokrax, Ohio State
Jr. – SS – Westerville, Ohio – Bishop Hartley – Major: Communication
- Hit .500 with a 1.125 slugging percentage, two home runs, five RBI and four doubles as Ohio State went 6-0 last week with sweeps of Penn State and Maryland
- Left Saturday’s game vs. Maryland with an injury, returning to the lineup on Sunday and hit a two-run home run in her first at bat as Ohio State completed the weekend sweep of the Terrapins with a 3-2 win
- Went 2-for-3 in Friday’s game with a home run and a double
- Had a walk-off double in the seventh inning in a 2-1 win over Penn State to complete a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday
- Went 5-for-7 (.714) with three doubles, two RBI and a .750 on-base percentage in two games vs. Penn State on Tuesday
- Finished the week with at least one extra base in in four of six games
- Last Ohio State Player of the Week: Melina Wilkison (March 20, 2023)
Pitcher of the Week
Ashley Miller, Northwestern
Gr. – RHP – Leo, Ind. – Leo – Master’s: Management
- Went 3-0 and did not allow an earned run in 18.2 innings pitched, limiting opposing batters to a .148 batting average and striking out 22 batters while allowing just nine hits
- Allowed just three hits (.083 opposing batting average) in 11.2 innings pitched throughout a weekend series at Purdue, striking out 12 batters
- Tossed a complete game, allowed just one unearned run and struck out 10 in a 4-1 victory over Illinois on Tuesday
- Threw just 65 pitches and allowed one two hits in a 5.0 inning complete game shutout over Purdue on Friday, her fifth shutout on the season
- Entered in relief and pitched 6.0 scoreless innings against Purdue on Sunday, allowing one hit and striking out six in a 7-3 extra-inning victory
- Last Northwestern Pitcher of the Week: Ashley Miller (April 15, 2024)
Co-Freshman of the Week
Alex Cooper, Indiana
UTIL – Mooresville, Ind. – Mooresville High School
- Hit for a .353 average for the week with two home runs and six RBI along with 12 total bases and three walks
- In a win over Notre Dame, Cooper his two home runs, including the walk-off grand slam to give Indiana the 5-3 win
- Last Indiana Freshman of the Week: Taryn Kern (May 8, 2023)
Co-Freshman of the Week
Ella Stephenson, Michigan
OF – Algonac, Mich. – Algonac – Major: Movement Science
- Led the Wolverines with a .462 batting average (6-for-13) with a 1.000 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage
- Posted three extra-base hits and seven RBI
- Recorded two hits and two RBI in the midweek win over Michigan State and tallied a career-high three hits and five RBI in the series finale vs. Nebraska with two triples and the game-ending home run in the sixth inning
- First Wolverine player to record two triples in a game since 1998
- Earns second-straight Freshman of the Week honor and third of the season
- Last Michigan Freshman of the Week: Ella Stephenson (April 15, 2024)
2024 Big Ten Softball Honorees
Feb. 12
PL: Katie Wingert, Gr., RU
P: Bridget Nemeth, Fr., PSU
F: Jasmyn Burns, OSU
Feb. 19
PL: Britain Beshears, So., MSU
Sydney Gray, Sr., NEB
P: Brianna Copeland, Jr., IND
F: Jaeya Butler, MSU
Feb. 26
PL: Billie Andrews, Sr., NEB
P: Ashley Miller, Gr., NU
F: Bridget Nemeth, PSU
March 4
PL: Kaitlyn Morrison, R-Sr., PSU
P: Liv Grey, Gr., MSU
F: Ashlynn Campbell, PUR
March 11
PL: Sydney Gray, Sr., NEB
P: Courtney Wyche, Gr., MD
F: Jasmyn Burns, OSU
March 18
PL: Billie Andrews, Sr., NEB
P: Ashley Miller, Gr., NU
F: Jenissa Conway, MICH
March 26
PL: Kansas Robinson, So., NU
P: Lauren Derkowski, Jr., MICH
F: Bridget Nemeth, PSU
April 1
PL: Jess Oakland, So., MINN
P: Jalen Adams, So., IOWA
Courtney Wyche, Gr., MD
F: Ella Stephenson, MICH
April 8
PL: Sarah Stone, Jr., IND
P: Mattie Boyd, Gr., RU
F: Izzy Cunnea, NU
Bridget Nemeth, PSU
April 15
PL: Keke Tholl, Sr., MICH
Morgan Smith, Sr., RU
P: Ashley Miller, Gr., NU
F: Ella Stephenson, MICH
April 22
PL: Kami Kortokrax, Jr., Ohio State
P: Ashley Miller, Gr., NU
F: Alex Cooper, IND
Ella Stephenson, MICH