2004 Northwestern graduate Carri Leto earned National Professional Fastpitch's Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2006.2004 Northwestern graduate Carri Leto earned National Professional Fastpitch's Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2006.

Former Wildcat Named National Professional Fastpitch Defensive Player of the Year

Aug. 29, 2006

STRATFORD, Conn. -- Northwestern graduate Carri Leto was named to her third-consecutive National Professional Fastpitch All-Star team this year, and picked up the league's Nokona American Glove Award as the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year.

As the second baseman for the expansion Philadelphia Force, Leto led the club in batting average with a .307 mark and also led the club in at-bats (137), runs (27), hits (42), triples (1) and on-base percentage (.371). In the NPF, Leto was fourth in at-bats and hits, fifth in runs scored and 12th overall in batting average.

Leto made just six errors in 198 chances at her second-base position.

Leto began her career with the N.Y./N.J. Juggernaut, earning All-Star nods in both of her seasons there. The Juggernaut captured the NPF championship in 2004.

As a four-year letterwinner at Northwestern from 2001-04, Leto was a three-time All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten selection, earning a top-seven position in 10 different career offensive categories for the 'Cats.