Wisconsin trio garners Big Ten accolades
May 11, 2016 | Softball
Jenkins, Stewart and Van Zeeland honored by conference
May 11, 2016
MADISON, Wis. – Fresh off completing one of its best conference seasons in program history, the Wisconsin softball team had three players earn Big Ten honors. Sophomore Kelsey Jenkins was named first-team All-Big Ten, while senior pitcher Taylor-Paige Stewart was placed on the second team and senior Ashley Van Zeeland was recognized as the team's Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.
There was no sophomore slump for Jenkins. The first freshman at Wisconsin to earn first-team honors in 2015, she becomes the program's 11th first-team All-Big Ten selection and just the third two-time honoree in school history. Jenkins led the Badgers with a .411 batting average and a .423 batting average in conference-only games.
Jenkins shattered the Wisconsin single-season walks record that she set last season and leads the conference with 49 walks, which also ranks seventh in the nation. Her .571 on-base percentage is second in the Big Ten and seventh in the country. She leads UW with 16 multiple-hit games and has reached base safely in 38 consecutive games, double the amount what any other player on the team has. Jenkins leads the Badgers in eight other categories: including batting average (.411), on-base percentage (.571), runs scored (49), hits (60), home runs (7), walks (49), stolen bases (15) and steal attempts (20).
Stewart earns her second second-team All-Big Ten honor after receiving her first as a sophomore in 2014. She is now the second player in the program to reap the honor twice in her career. Stewart, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and three-time NFCA Division I All-America Scholar Athlete, leads the Badgers' pitching staff with a 2.61 ERA and a 2.27 ERA in conference-only games.
The Calabasas, California, native tied the program's seventh-highest win total in a Big Ten season with her seven conference victories this year. Stewart also clinched the all-time career record for saves (7) as she set the single-season record (4) this year.
The student-athletes chosen for the Sportsmanship Award are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
This description perfectly embodies senior shortstop Ashley Van Zeeland, who has been a leader both on and off the field, starting in all 52 games this season and leading the team and conference in sacrifice hits.
This is Van Zeeland's second time to obtain the Sportsmanship honor after attaining it in 2014 as she becomes the program's first two-time honoree. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Van Zeeland is a four-year starter and key member of the third-winningest class in school history.
The star-studded trio will lead the Badgers into their final games of the season at the Big Ten tournament with their first game against Indiana on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT in State College, Pennsylvania.Â
Â
MADISON, Wis. – Fresh off completing one of its best conference seasons in program history, the Wisconsin softball team had three players earn Big Ten honors. Sophomore Kelsey Jenkins was named first-team All-Big Ten, while senior pitcher Taylor-Paige Stewart was placed on the second team and senior Ashley Van Zeeland was recognized as the team's Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.
There was no sophomore slump for Jenkins. The first freshman at Wisconsin to earn first-team honors in 2015, she becomes the program's 11th first-team All-Big Ten selection and just the third two-time honoree in school history. Jenkins led the Badgers with a .411 batting average and a .423 batting average in conference-only games.
Jenkins shattered the Wisconsin single-season walks record that she set last season and leads the conference with 49 walks, which also ranks seventh in the nation. Her .571 on-base percentage is second in the Big Ten and seventh in the country. She leads UW with 16 multiple-hit games and has reached base safely in 38 consecutive games, double the amount what any other player on the team has. Jenkins leads the Badgers in eight other categories: including batting average (.411), on-base percentage (.571), runs scored (49), hits (60), home runs (7), walks (49), stolen bases (15) and steal attempts (20).
Stewart earns her second second-team All-Big Ten honor after receiving her first as a sophomore in 2014. She is now the second player in the program to reap the honor twice in her career. Stewart, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and three-time NFCA Division I All-America Scholar Athlete, leads the Badgers' pitching staff with a 2.61 ERA and a 2.27 ERA in conference-only games.
The Calabasas, California, native tied the program's seventh-highest win total in a Big Ten season with her seven conference victories this year. Stewart also clinched the all-time career record for saves (7) as she set the single-season record (4) this year.
The student-athletes chosen for the Sportsmanship Award are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
This description perfectly embodies senior shortstop Ashley Van Zeeland, who has been a leader both on and off the field, starting in all 52 games this season and leading the team and conference in sacrifice hits.
This is Van Zeeland's second time to obtain the Sportsmanship honor after attaining it in 2014 as she becomes the program's first two-time honoree. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Van Zeeland is a four-year starter and key member of the third-winningest class in school history.
The star-studded trio will lead the Badgers into their final games of the season at the Big Ten tournament with their first game against Indiana on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT in State College, Pennsylvania.Â
Â
Players Mentioned
IF/UT
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballWisconsin Softball || Recap Against Iowa || March 28-29
Tuesday, April 01
Highlights || Wisconsin Softball || Badgers at Paradise Classic
Thursday, February 13
Yvette Healy Media Conference || Wisconsin Softball || April 15, 2024
Monday, April 15
Yvette Healy Media Conference || Wisconsin Softball || May 8, 2023
Monday, May 08
