The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 1/1 Softball’s Stewart nabs Big 12, NFCA Player of the Week honors
04.30.2024 | Softball
Texas becomes first school with multiple freshmen to earn Big 12’s Player of the Week in same season since 2021
AUSTIN, Texas – To say Katie Stewart was 'out of this world' throughout Texas' four victories last week might be an understatement and, as a result of her productivity throughout those games, both the Big 12 Conference and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) have named the Frankfort, Ill., native as their respective Player of the Week.
Stewart becomes the fourth different Texas Longhorn — joining Reese Atwood, Kayden Henry and Estelle Czech — to earn one of the top weekly player honors from both of the organizations for the same week. Atwood accomplished the feat — twice — on Feb. 13 and Feb. 27, while Henry did so on Feb. 20, while Czech was honored on April 9 for her work in UT's series win over then-No. 1 Oklahoma.
In four games last week, Stewart led the Big 12 in batting average (.727), hits (8), home runs (3), RBIs (11), total bases (19), on-base percentage (.769) and slugging percentage (1.727). While splitting time between first base and catcher throughout the Longhorns' three-game sweep of conference foe Iowa State, Stewart had a 1.000 fielding percentage. And, while behind the plate, she helped the Longhorn pitching staff to a Big 12-best 1.46 earned run average (ERA) for the week.
Stewart's RBI total was four more than the next closest Big 12 softball student-athlete, while her 19 total bases were also four more than the next closest competitor.
To open the week, Stewart turned in a 2-for-4 performance with four RBI, a home run and a double against Nicholls. The following day against Iowa State, the freshman returned to the field with a 3-for-3, 3-RBI performance. Despite not being credited with a hit in her lone official at bat in game one of Saturday's doubleheader, Stewart still drove in a run, drew a walk and was hit by a pitch. In game two, she turned in her second 3-for-3, 3-RBI outing on the week to cap the four-win-in-three-day stretch for the nation's top-ranked team.
2024 Big 12 Softball Players of the Week
|
Date |
Player of the Week |
Pitcher of the Week |
|
Feb. 13 |
Reese Atwood, Texas, C/1B, So.^ |
Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma, Gr. |
|
Feb. 20 |
Kayden Henry, Texas, OF, Fr.^ |
Citlaly Gutierrez, Texas, So. |
|
Feb. 27 |
Reese Atwood, Texas, C/1B, So.^# |
Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State, Gr.* |
|
March 5 |
Angelina Allen, Iowa State, OF, Jr. |
Teagan Kavan, Texas, Fr. |
|
March 12 |
Cydney Sanders, Oklahoma, INF, Jr.^# |
RyLee Crandall, Baylor, So. |
|
March 19 |
Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma, INF, Sr. |
Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma, Gr.* |
|
March 26 |
Alynah Torres, Oklahoma, UTL, Sr. |
Teagan Kavan, Texas, Fr. |
|
April 2 |
Jayda Coleman, Oklahoma, OF, Sr.^# |
Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State, Gr.*! |
|
April 9 |
Caroline Wang, Oklahoma State, C, Sr.^ |
Estelle Czech, Texas, Sr.* |
|
April 16 |
Ashleigh Griffin, UCF, F, RS-So. |
Sarah Willis, UCF, Sr. |
|
April 23 |
Hailey Morrow, BYU, INF/C, So. |
Kierston Deal, OU, So. |
|
April 30 |
Katie Stewart, Texas, C/INF, Fr.^ |
Kierston Deal, OU, So. |
^Louisville Slugger/NFCA DI Player of the Week
*Wilson/NFCA DI Pitcher of the Week
#D1Softball Player of the Week
!D1Softball Pitcher of the Week
&DISoftball Freshman of the Week
UP NEXT
- Just a single game back in the Big 12 Conference standings heading into the final weekend of the regular season, Texas (42-6, 20-4) will be looking for its first Big 12 regular season conference championship since 2010 as the Longhorns play a three-game series at Texas Tech that begins at 6 p.m. CT on Friday, May 3.
- UT can win an outright conference championship with a sweep of the Red Raiders and Oklahoma dropping multiple games to Oklahoma State over the weekend.
- The Longhorns could also share a conference championship with either the Sooners or Cowgirls pending this weekend's results:
- Oklahoma and Texas could share the championship if …
- The Longhorns sweep and Sooners win two of three games.
- Oklahoma State and Texas could share the championship if …
- The Cowgirls sweep and Longhorns win two of three games.
- Oklahoma and Texas could share the championship if …
- The Longhorns could also share a conference championship with either the Sooners or Cowgirls pending this weekend's results:
- UT can win an outright conference championship with a sweep of the Red Raiders and Oklahoma dropping multiple games to Oklahoma State over the weekend.
FOLLOW US
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TexasSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @TexasLonghorns on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
