Softball earns most All-Big Ten selections since 2005
May 19, 2010 | Softball
May 19, 2010
MADISON, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin had three softball players named third-team All-Big Ten, the conference announced on Wednesday. Senior Letty Olivarez, junior Jennifer Krueger and freshman Shannel Blackshear were all recognized for their performances this season. In addition, freshman Kendall Grimm was named the team's Sportsmanship Honoree.
It is the most players Wisconsin has had named All-Big Ten since four players (Boo Gillette, Katie Hnatyk, Anastasia Miller and Kris Zacher) were named to the third team in 2005.
Krueger was also named third-team All-Big Ten in 2009, making her just the sixth player in UW softball history to be a two-time All-Big Ten selection.
This season, Krueger set Wisconsin's career and single-season stolen base record. She stole 29 bases in 2010, smashing the mark of 19 set by Carin Bouchard in 1997. For her career, Krueger now has 55 swipes, separating herself well from the previous record of 41 set by Zacher (2002-05).
Krueger led the team in stolen bases and walks (23), while finishing second in runs (28) and triples (3) and third in hits (44), batting average (.306) and on-base percentage (.405).
She finished the season on a remarkable stretch, raising her batting average 87 points over the last 13 games. She was hitting just .219 on April 20, but went 21-for-39 (.538) with 12 runs, six RBI, two triples, six walks and stolen bases down the stretch to be one of three Badgers to bat over .300.
Olivarez capped her senior campaign by being the team's leading hitter in Big Ten play. In 18 conference games, the Newark, Calif., native led the team with a .350 batting average, a .575 slugging percentage two home runs and seven walks. In addition, she was second on the team in those games with three doubles, nine RBI, 23 total bases and a .447 on-base percentage.
As a pitcher, Olivarez led the team in nearly every category and set a new single-season school record by starting 37 games. Her 193 strikeouts will go down as the most strikeouts ever thrown in a season by a pitcher other than Andrea Kirchberg, who owns the top four single-season punch-out marks.
Blackshear enjoyed one of the finest seasons by a Badger freshman. All-time among UW freshmen, Blackshear finished second with a .414 on-base percentage, .945 OPS (on-base + slugging) and 36 RBI. She was third all-time with a .333 batting average, a.531 slugging percentage and 78 total bases.
In Big Ten play, Blackshear led the team with a .448 OBP, two home runs and 26 total bases and was second only to Olivarez with a .347 average and .531 slugging mark. She becomes just the third freshman in UW history to be named All-Big Ten.
Grimm hit .255 for the season with 15 runs scored, three doubles, one triple and 12 RBI. She led the team with eight sacrifice hits and was 8-for-10 on stolen bases. As a Sportsmanship Honoree, she is now a candidate for the Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award, as the conference office will honor one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.
