EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern has signed one of the nation's top left-handed sluggers, Nikki Cuchran, to a Big Ten tender, head coach Kate Drohan announced Tuesday. The heralded Cuchran joins NU's incoming Class of 2022 and will matriculate to Evanston this fall.
"We are excited to welcome Nikki to our Northwestern family," Drohan said. "She has been an offensive force on each of the championship teams she has played for. She brings great power and competitive spirit to an already accomplished class."
Cuchran is ranked as the No. 30 overall recruit in the 2018 high school class by FloSoftball. She adds her name to an incredibly deep Class of 2022 that signed with NU during the fall and was ranked as the nation's 9th-best signing class overall by Flo. Cuchran's addition gives the Wildcats eight members in its incoming class.
"Our team is excited for our newcomers to arrive on campus in a few months to build on the great momentum we had to finish the 2018 season," Drohan said.
Cuchran's powerful bat led Montini Catholic to a pair of 3A Illinois state championships and the Beverly Bandits to both the 2016 and 2017 PGF National titles. A four-time All-State selection and two-time Daily Herald Player of the Year, Cuchran never batted below .600 during a prep career in which she drove in 298 runs, crushed 61 home runs and struck out just seven times in four full seasons of competition.
As a senior in 2018, Cuchran capped her high school career by batting .711 with 22 doubles, 17 home runs, 86 RBIs and an on-base percentage north of .800.
With Cuchran ranked 30th in the country by FloSoftball, NU's incoming Class now has four of the top 45 recruits in the entire nation according to the organization. That list comprises Skyler Shellmyer (25th), Cuchran (30th), Danielle Williams (44th) and Jordyn Rudd (45th).
Cuchran's full bio is below:
Nikki Cuchran
IF • 5-6 • L/R
Downers Grove, Ill./Montini Catholic
High School: A powerful left-handed bat, is ranked as the nation's 30th overall recruit in the 2018 class by FloSoftball … Never batted below .600 in a high school season … As a senior, batted .711 with 22 doubles, 17 home runs, 86 RBIs and an .800+ OBP … In her four-year high school career, collected 298 RBIs, bashed 61 home runs and 70 doubles … In four full years of high school competition, struck out a grand total of seven (7) times … Four-time All-State, All-Area and All-Conference honoree … Two-time Daily Herald Player of the Year … 2018 Suburban Life Player of the Year … Max-Prep All-American … PGF Regional All-American in 2017-18 … Led her high school to the 2016 and 2018 3A Illinois state championships, hitting a game-winning sacrifice fly in 2016 and crushing a home run in the 2018 state title game … Grew into such a feared hitter, she was intentionally walked twice in the seventh inning during a 12-run rally that gave Montini Catholic a come-from-behind win in the 2018 Class 3A state championship game … Played four years of Club with the Beverly Bandits, winning the 2016 and 2017 PGF National titles … Four-time Academic All-Conference and High Honor Roll for four years … IHSA Scholastic Recognition Award.
Personal: Born Nicole Alexa Cuchran … Daughter of Don and Claudine Cuchran … Father played baseball at Illinois, winning three Big Ten titles while playing under legendary coach Augie Garrido … An uncle, Jack Cuchran, earned a master's degree from Northwestern … Chose Northwestern over Auburn, DePaul, Wisconsin and Miami University … Anticipated major is undeclared.