Northwestern is unveiling its Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2014 this week. Check back each day as we reveal another member in the newest class that has been selected to receive Northwestern's highest athletic honor.
These elite Wildcats will formally be inducted during Hall of Fame weekend Jan 3-4, 2015. The induction ceremony and dinner will begin with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Hotel Orrington in Evanston. The induction is open to the public. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by contacting Christian Williams in Northwestern's Athletic Development office at christian-williams@northwestern.edu or 847-467-1039.
The Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 1984 to honor former athletes, coaches and administrators who have helped establish a proud tradition in intercollegiate competition at Northwestern. Individuals are eligible for Hall of Fame recognition beginning five years after their final competition at NU. For more information and to view the complete membership, visit the NUsports.com Hall of Fame website.
| NU Athletic Hall of Fame -- Class of 2014 |
|||
| Date | Name | Years | Sport |
| November 17 | Mike Alexandrov Bruno Barbic Kyle Bubolz |
2003-07 2004-08 2006-08 |
Men's Swimming and Diving 400 Medley Relay (2007) |
| November 18 |
Jake Herbert | 2003-09 | Wrestling |
| November 19 | Hannah Nielsen | 2006-09 | Women's Lacrosse |
| November 20 |
Tammy Williams | 2006-09 | Softball |
| November 21 | TBA | ||
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Tammy Williams, Northwestern's first four-time All-American in softball and one of the best talents the game has ever known, is a first-ballot selection for the NU Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2014.
At the time of her graduation, Williams was one of just six players in the history of the sport to have scored more runs (235) than games played (232). Williams earned four All-America honors, two Big Ten Player of the Year awards, was a three-time USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist and was one of four finalists for the Softball Honda Sports Award as a senior.
Williams began her career as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2006, ending that season with the first of two-consecutive Women's College World Series All-Tournament team honors. She shone on the biggest of stages, hitting three-career home runs at the World Series including the game-winner in extra innings against No. 1 UCLA in 2006 to send NU to its first-ever national championship series.
Williams continues to hold NU's career records for batting (.419), runs (235), hits (310) and home runs (57), and is the school-record holder with a 24-game hitting streak achieved in 2007. She is the only player in Northwestern history to earn multiple invitations to the USA Softball Women's National Team Selection camp while still a Wildcats' student-athlete.
Williams started all 232 games Northwestern played during her career at shortstop and displayed a toughness few possess. During opening day in 2007, she suffered a gash on her leg that required more than two dozen stitches to close, yet returned to start game two later that afternoon.
Williams' story is remarkable from start to finish, and her "discovery" is the stuff of Hollywood legend. When 2005 NU All-America shortstop Stephanie Churchwell opted to retire from the game following that season, NU head coach Kate Drohan hit the recruiting trail late and hard to try and find a replacement for the 2006 campaign. Williams was a pitcher for her small club team out of Missouri, but had recently broken her hand and happened to be playing third base at a tournament in Atlanta when Drohan saw her, immediately liking her athleticism and -- though she did not get a hit that day -- the timing of her swing.
Slated to go to junior college as a pitcher for additional Division I exposure, Williams instead immediately committed to Northwestern. She would never throw a pitch in college, but she did hit 57 of them out of the park.
Williams still is swinging that bat and patrolling the left side of the infield as a professional with the Chicago Bandits of National Pro Fastpitch. Named 2009 NPF Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year, Williams again was named the NPF's Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 while achieving career highs of 31 RBIs and nine home runs in her fifth year in the league.
Continue to visit NUsports.com throughout the week to learn the rest of the 2014 Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame class.
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