Northwestern Wildcats
Overall Rank: #19
Conference Rank: #3 Big Ten
Head Coach Kate Drohan (357-177-1) begins her 11th season after the Wildcats went 23-20 in 2011 with a 10th place finish (5-13) in the Big Ten and no appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Northwestern’s record should improve in 2012 with 13 letter winners back, including seven starters. The Wildcats open their season February 11-13 in Tempe, AZ in the Kajikawa Classic hosted by ASU.
2011: 23-20, 5-13
2011 Postseason: None
Coach: Kate Drohan
Field Players:
Seven starters are among the 13 letter winners returning. Key returnees are pitcher Sammy Albanese (7-7, 3.08 ERA); junior shortstop, Emily Allard, who batted .491 to shatter the NU record and had 45 steals; Marisa Bast, sophomore, infield, who was named All-Big Ten second team as a freshman; Meghan Lamberth, junior, pitcher/utility (8-2, 3.20 ERA); Mari Majam, sophomore, outfielder; Adrienne Monka, senior, infield, who led the country with 1.53 walks per game and a .707 on-base percentage; Kristin Scharkey, junior, OF, who started 37 games; and catcher Paige Tonz, who started 31 games. Monka posted a .461 batting average and has a .375 average over the last three years with 142 RBIs. The team posted a .309 batting average in 2011 to rank 27th in NCAA Division One.
Pitchers:
Albanese and Lamberth will have to improve and reduce their earned run averages if the Wildcats are to better their record and get a possible NCAA bid. Albanese had a 3.08 ERA and Lamberth a 3.20 ERA. The third pitcher, Jessica Smith (8-11, 3.30 ERA in 2011) graduated.
Who To Watch:
The 6-foot slap-hitting Emily Allard has blazing speed and is one of the most exciting players in college softball. She should again be a finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year. She won the NFCA Golden Shoe Award in 2011 as the top base stealer in Division One. Allard has stolen 79 bases in 83 attempts in her first two years of college softball.
Final Projection:
If the Wildcats’ pitching improves, they could earn a berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Projected Postseason: NCAA
Returning Leaders:
At Bats: Emily Allard, SS, 159
Hits: Emily Allard, SS, 78
Home Runs: Adrienne Monka, 1B, 10
RBIs: Adrienne Monka, 1B, 47
Runs: Emily Allard, SS, 46
Stolen Bases: Emily Allard, SS, 45
Wins: Meghan Lamberth, P, 8
Innings Pitched: Sammy Albanese, P, 74
Strikeouts: Sammy Albanese, P, 73
Saves: Sammy Albanese, P, 2
Madness 2012 NPF Draft Rankings:
#7 Adrienne Monka
Madness 2012 Softball Recruit Rankings:
#25 Amy Letourneau
