Courtesy of the Big Ten
ROSEMONT, Ill. –The Big Ten announced the 2015 All-Conference Teams and individual award winners on Wednesday. Minnesota’s Sara Groenewegen captured Player of the Year honors, Michigan’s Megan Betsa was named the Pitcher of the Year and Northwestern’s Sabrina Rabin was tabbed Freshman of the Year. Michigan’s Carol Hutchins was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
During her sophomore campaign, Groenewegen led the Gophers with a .435 batting average, six home runs and a .524 on-base percentage in Big Ten play, while also recording a 12-2 record with 155 strikeouts and four shutouts. She is the third Gopher to be named Big Ten Player of the Year and the first since Kari Blank in 1991.
Betsa paced all conference pitchers with a 13-2 record and 175 strikeouts in Big Ten play, holding opposing hitters to a .155 batting average. She recorded a 1.35 earned run average in conference contests with eight shutouts and two saves. This marks the 13th time that a Michigan player has been named Pitcher of the Year and first since Haylie Wagner in 2012.
Rabin led the conference with 18 stolen bases in Big Ten play, while also ranking among the top five with 32 runs scored (second), a .456 batting average (third) and 36 hits (fourth). She becomes the eighth Wildcat to claim Freshman of the Year honors and the first since Adrienne Monka in 2009.
Hutchins helped guide the Wolverines to their eighth consecutive, and 19th overall, Big Ten Championship and the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Michigan finished the season with a 21-2 conference mark, and 48-6 overall, and enters the postseason ranked among the nation’s top five. She has been named Coach of the Year in six of the last eight seasons and 15 times overall.
Betsa, Groenewegen and Rabin were each named first-team All-Big Ten performers and were joined on the 18-member squad by Illinois’ Allie Bauch and Carly Thomas, Iowa’s Megan Blank, Maryland’s Lindsey Schmeiser, Michigan’s Kelly Christner, Sierra Romero and Haylie Wagner, Minnesota’s Danielle Parlich and Tyler Walker, Nebraska’s MJ Knighten, Steph Pasquale and Kiki Stokes, Northwestern’s Andrea Filler, Ohio State’s Erika Leonard and Wisconsin’s Kelsey Jenkins. Blank, Betsa, Christner, Romero Groenewegen and Knighten were all unanimous first-team selections.
Eighteen players were named second-team All-Big Ten honorees, while 10 players were named to the conference’s All-Defensive Team. The Big Ten also announced the 14 Sportsmanship Award honorees from each institution. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
2015 Softball All-Conference Teams and Individual Awards
First Team All-Big Ten
Allie Bauch, Jr., 2B, ILL
Carly Thomas, Fr., OF, ILL
MEGAN BLANK, Sr., SS, IOWA
Lindsey Schmeiser, Jr., UT, MD
MEGAN BETSA, So., P, MICH
KELLY CHRISTNER, So., OF, MICH
SIERRA ROMERO, Jr., 2B, MICH
Haylie Wagner, Sr., P, MICH
SARA GROENEWEGEN, So., P, MINN
Danielle Parlich, Fr., 2B, MINN
Tyler Walker, Sr., SS, MINN
MJ KNIGHTEN, So., 3B, NEB
Steph Pasquale, Sr., C, NEB
Kiki Stokes, Jr., OF, NEB
Andrea Filler, Jr., SS, NU
Sabrina Rabin, Fr., OF, NU
Erika Leonard, Jr., 1B, OSU
Kelsey Jenkins, Fr., 3B, WIS
Second Team All-Big Ten
Alyssa Gunther, So., 1B, ILL
Shannon Bustillos, Sr., C, MD
Erin Pronobis, Sr., OF, MD
Sierra Lawrence, Jr., OF, MICH
Abby Ramirez, So., SS, MICH
Lauren Sweet, Sr., C, MICH
Lea Foerster, Fr., OF, MSU
Sam Macken, So., 3B, MINN
Kaitlyn Richardson, Sr., 1B, MINN
Emily Lockman, Jr., P, NEB
Andrea DiPrima, Sr., OF, NU
Caitlin Conrad, Sr., OF, OSU
Maddy McIntyre, Jr., SS, OSU
Macy Jones, Jr., OF, PSU
Lexi Knief, Jr., OF, PSU
Lilly Fecho, Jr., P, PUR
Jackie Bates, Sr., OF, RU
Alyssa Landrith, Sr., P, RU
Players in ALL CAPS denote unanimous selection
All-Defensive Team*
P: Haylie Wagner, Sr., MICH
P: Emily Lockman, Jr., NEB
C: Shannon Bustillos, Sr., MD
1B: Kaitlyn Richardson, Sr., MINN
2B: Danielle Parlich, Fr., MINN
SS: Megan Blank, Sr., IOWA
3B: Shelby Miller, So., PSU
OF: Kelly Christner, So., MICH
OF: Sierra Lawrence, Jr., MICH
OF: Maria Van Abel, Sr., WIS
*Additional honoree due to tie
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Sara Groenewegen, So., MINN
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: MEGAN BETSA, So., MICH
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Sabrina Rabin, NU
COACH OF THE YEAR: Carol Hutchins, MICH
Player in ALL CAPS denote unanimous selection
Sportsmanship Award Honorees: Alyssa Gunther, ILL; Lora Olson, IND; Haley Hansel, IOWA; Shannon Bustillos, MD; Becca Garfinkel, MICH; Ellie Stoffer, MSU; Kaitlyn Richardson, MINN; Lotte Sjulin, NEB; Anna Petersen, NU; Alex Bayne, OSU; Macy Jones, PSU; Mary Gooding, PUR; Chandler Howard, RU; Megan Tancill, WIS
