Feb. 17, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. - Sophomore outfielder Anthony Wycklendt (Glendale, Wis./Nicolet) and junior left-hander J.A. Happ (Peru, Ill./St. Bede Academy) were named Big Ten Player and Pitcher of the Week by the conference office today.
Wycklendt batted .417 with six runs batted in and two runs scored to earn the first Big Ten Player of the Week award of the 2004 campaign. The Wildcats opened the season by scoring 18 runs in their first three games at the Oakland A's Spring Training Tournament in Phoenix, Arizona. The sophomore outfielder began the year with a bang, going 4-for-5 with a double and two triples while driving in four runs and scoring twice in a 15-11 loss to Pacific. He added an RBI in each of the next two games, including NU's 3-2 triumph over Washington State. Wycklendt produced an .833 slugging percentage in the three-game set and did not make an error in five chances in the field. This is the first weekly honor of his career.
Happ opened the 2004 season by throwing six innings of one-run baseball against Washington State. The junior left-hander gave up only four hits in his six innings of work and struck out five batters with only one walk. Happ left the game with a 2-1 lead but ended up with a no-decision when the Cougars tied the game in the eighth inning before NU answered to win 3-2. The Illinois native earns his fourth weekly Conference honor, as he was also selected on three occasions last season on his way to first-team All-Big Ten accolades. Happ, a first-team All-League choice as a reliever in 2002, is aiming to become the first Wildcat in school history to be named first-team All-Conference in three straight seasons.
NU is next in action, this weekend, traveling to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Ultimate Dugout Baseball Fiesta hosted by the University of New Mexico. The 'Cats have games scheduled against No. 21/23 Nebraska, Kent State and New Mexico. Friday's opener vs. Nebraska is set for 11:30 a.m. (CST).