Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Earns Eight Big Ten Honors
5/9/2018 1:35:00 PM | Softball
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten announced its yearly honors on Wednesday with the Hoosiers earning seven spots on conference teams, including First Team All-Big Ten accolades for junior Tara Trainer and freshman Maddie Westmoreland. Senior Rebecca Blitz and sophomore Gabbi Jenkins earned Second Team honors, while Blitz was also named to the All-Defensive Team. Westmoreland and fellow freshman Taylor Lambert both earned a spot of the All-Freshman Team. In addition, senior Rachel O'Malley was named Indiana's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
All honors are voted on by the Big Ten coaches. The four First and Second Team selections for Indiana is the most overall since the Second Team honor was added in 2000. Trainer and Westmoreland's selections to the First Team marks the first time since 2011 that Indiana has placed multiple student-athletes on that list.
Trainer is having the best season of her career, registering a 2.54 ERA with 208 strikeouts in 188.1 innings pitched, all career bests for the Lebanon, Ohio native. Nationally, she comes in at No. 27 in season strikeouts. In Big Ten play, Trainer has registered a 1.63 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 107.2 innings pitched. Her 113 conference strikeouts rank as the second-most in the Big Ten. For her career, Trainer's 564 strikeouts rank fifth all-time in program history.
Leading the Hoosiers in home runs with 10 on the year, Westmoreland is hitting .318 with a .563 slugging percentage. The Glendale, Ariz. native has 51 RBI on the season, tied for the second-most in a single season in program history. Seven of her home runs and 32 of her RBI have come in conference action.
Blitz earns Second Team All-Big Ten honors for the third straight season, as she is hitting .328 with 58 hits, 28 runs and 29 stolen bases. From March 18 to April 28, Blitz put together a Big Ten-leading 23-game hitting streak and is currently riding a 28-game reached base streak. The Birmingham, Ala. native currently sits second all-time in program history with 234 career hits and 89 stolen bases. In conference action, Blitz leads the team with a .373 average and 28 hits. Defensively, Blitz has been a force in centerfield with a .986 fielding percentage and becomes the second Hoosier in a row to earn the All-Defensive Team accolades as O'Malley did so in 2017.
With a .366 average and 63 hits on the season, Jenkins leads the Indiana offensive attack. Jenkins is also a threat on the base paths as she has 26 stolen bags on the season. The Floyds Knobs, Ind. native has been exceptional in conference play with a .370 average, 27 hits and 22 runs.
Another standout in Big Ten action has been Lambert, who hit .315 in Indiana's 23 Big Ten games. Her four home runs this season have all come in conference play as she has knocked 17 hits and scored 13 runs. This year marks the first season for All-Freshman honors by the Big Ten.
O'Malley earned her first Sportsmanship Award, which is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These students must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The third-seeded Hoosiers open up play in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday as they will face the winner of Thursday's matchup between No. 6 Illinois and No. 11 Maryland.
All honors are voted on by the Big Ten coaches. The four First and Second Team selections for Indiana is the most overall since the Second Team honor was added in 2000. Trainer and Westmoreland's selections to the First Team marks the first time since 2011 that Indiana has placed multiple student-athletes on that list.
Trainer is having the best season of her career, registering a 2.54 ERA with 208 strikeouts in 188.1 innings pitched, all career bests for the Lebanon, Ohio native. Nationally, she comes in at No. 27 in season strikeouts. In Big Ten play, Trainer has registered a 1.63 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 107.2 innings pitched. Her 113 conference strikeouts rank as the second-most in the Big Ten. For her career, Trainer's 564 strikeouts rank fifth all-time in program history.
Leading the Hoosiers in home runs with 10 on the year, Westmoreland is hitting .318 with a .563 slugging percentage. The Glendale, Ariz. native has 51 RBI on the season, tied for the second-most in a single season in program history. Seven of her home runs and 32 of her RBI have come in conference action.
Blitz earns Second Team All-Big Ten honors for the third straight season, as she is hitting .328 with 58 hits, 28 runs and 29 stolen bases. From March 18 to April 28, Blitz put together a Big Ten-leading 23-game hitting streak and is currently riding a 28-game reached base streak. The Birmingham, Ala. native currently sits second all-time in program history with 234 career hits and 89 stolen bases. In conference action, Blitz leads the team with a .373 average and 28 hits. Defensively, Blitz has been a force in centerfield with a .986 fielding percentage and becomes the second Hoosier in a row to earn the All-Defensive Team accolades as O'Malley did so in 2017.
With a .366 average and 63 hits on the season, Jenkins leads the Indiana offensive attack. Jenkins is also a threat on the base paths as she has 26 stolen bags on the season. The Floyds Knobs, Ind. native has been exceptional in conference play with a .370 average, 27 hits and 22 runs.
Another standout in Big Ten action has been Lambert, who hit .315 in Indiana's 23 Big Ten games. Her four home runs this season have all come in conference play as she has knocked 17 hits and scored 13 runs. This year marks the first season for All-Freshman honors by the Big Ten.
O'Malley earned her first Sportsmanship Award, which is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These students must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The third-seeded Hoosiers open up play in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday as they will face the winner of Thursday's matchup between No. 6 Illinois and No. 11 Maryland.
Players Mentioned
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