May 13, 2009
Complete 2009 All-Big Ten Release (PDF Format) 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the fifth-consecutive year, the Big Ten Player of the Year is a Wildcat, and for the fourth time in the last six seasons, so is the conference's Freshman of the Year. Senior Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) was named the league's Player of the Year Wednesday while freshman Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) took home the Rookie of the Year crown to headline a quartet of Northwestern All-Big Ten honorees.
Williams now is a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year after also winning the award in 2008 on the heels of Garland Cooper's conference record three-straight crowns from 2005-07. Williams ranked in the top five in the league in on-base percentage, home runs, runs scored, slugging percentage and total bases. The three-time NFCA All-American is one of 10 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
Monka exploded onto the Big Ten scene in her first season in purple, leading the league in RBIs, home runs, slugging percentage and total bases. She also ranked among the conference's best in hits, batting average and on-base percentage. Monka's total of nine home runs in Big Ten play is tied for second-most in league history, while her 27 RBIs tied for the fourth-best total in the conference record book. She ranks in the top-five in the nation in all games in home runs per game (2nd), slugging percentage (3rd), RBIs per game (4th) and total home runs (5th).
Monka continues a proud tradition of Wildcats earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors as the fourth winner in the last six years. Eileen Canney won in 2004, Williams in 2006 and Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) in 2007. Since 2004, Northwestern has won a total of 14 conference superlatives, four more than any other school in the Big Ten.
Both Williams and Monka were named 2009 All-Big Ten first-team selections, while sophomore Michelle Batts (Bloomingdale, Ill./Glenbard North) is a second-team honoree and Pauly is a member of the third team. Williams now is a four-time All-Big Ten winner while Pauly's award is her third. Batts is a two-time selection.
Batts batted .339 in Big Ten play with four home runs, 12 runs scored, 10 RBIs and a .597 slugging percentage. Pauly hit .357 in league play with five homers, 16 runs, 11 RBIs and a .696 slugging percentage.
The Big Ten also announced its 2009 Sportsmanship Award winners from each school, with Northwestern senior Jessica Rigas (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) picking up the honor for the second-consecutive season.