Adrienne Monka is one of two current Wildcat softballers who have been <i>Sports Illustrated</i> Faces in the Crowd.Adrienne Monka is one of two current Wildcat softballers who have been <i>Sports Illustrated</i> Faces in the Crowd.

Adrienne Monka Featured as <i>Sports Illustrated</i> Face in the Crowd

May 26, 2011

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Junior Adrienne Monka (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) is one of Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd for the May 30, 2011, issue, which hit newsstands today (Thursday, May 26).

Monka earned the honor following her streak of reaching base in 25-consecutive plate appearances dating from an April 16 game at Iowa to a May 4 contest against Minnesota. The streak was comprised of seven base hits, 17 walks and one hit by pitch. In the middle of that stretch, Monka was named the Big Ten and NFCA Division I National Player of the Week after going 3-for-3 with seven RBIs, a home run, a double and five walks (two intentional) in a sweep of Ohio State at Sharon J. Drysdale Field.

At the conclusion of the regular season, Monka ranked first in the nation with 1.53 walks per game, which is the second-highest rate in NCAA Division I history. She also led the country with a .707 on-base percentage, .090 points better than the next-highest mark. Monka was sixth in the nation with a .461 batting average, eighth with an .865 slugging percentage and 20th with 1.09 RBIs.

Monka is a Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region first team selection and now is on the ballot for All-America consideration. As a freshman in 2009, Monka was the first baseman on the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America first team.

Northwestern softball is no stranger to being featured in SI's Faces in the Crowd department. Freshman pitcher Sammy Albanese (Belmont, Calif./Castilleja) earned a spot in the May 11, 2009, issue after fanning 37 of the 47 batters she faced in a 14-inning, 3-2 win for her high school. She made Sports Illustrated again after matching a California state record with 10-consecutive no-hitters during her senior year.

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