NEW YORK – Seton Hall softball standout Alexis Walkden (Cibolo, Texas) has been named the 2017 BIG EAST Player of the Year, the conference announced on Wednesday (May 10). The junior star is the second BIG EAST Player of the Year in Seton Hall history and first since Laura Taylor in 2005.
Leading the BIG EAST in a slew of offensive categories throughout a stellar 2017 campaign, Walkden was also a Unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST selection at third base. It is the second major BIG EAST award of her career after she took home 2015 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year honors following her freshman season.
In 21 league games this season Walkden was sensational, batting .373 with a .554 on-base percentage and an .814 slugging percentage. She smacked seven home runs and drove in 21 runs, adding five doubles and scoring 15 runs. On the basepaths she was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts and in the field she turned in a .963 fielding percentage with a team-high 51 assists manning the hot corner.
The junior led the BIG EAST in total bases (48) and OPS (1.368) while finishing top-five in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage and walks. With a rare combination of speed and power, Walkden became the first player in the BIG EAST to record at least six home runs and six stolen bases in league play since 2014.
After three seasons in South Orange, Walkden has etched her name all over the Seton Hall record books with a season to go. She currently sits:
- Second all-time in home runs – 41
- Eighth in total hits – 165
- Second in batting average – .366
- Fourth in doubles – 36
- Second in RBIs – 128
- Third in runs scored – 117
- Second in walks – 91
The full BIG EAST honors are listed below.
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Alexis Walkden, Seton Hall
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year
Brette Lawrence, Villanova
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Jessica Cothern, DePaul
BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
St. John's
All-BIG EAST First Team
P - Brette Lawrence, Villanova
P - Missy Zoch, DePaul
C - Jessica Cothern, DePaul
1B - Nikki Alden, Villanova*
2B - Lexi Robles, St. John's
3B - Alexis Walkden, Seton Hall*
SS - Monique Landini, St. John's*
OF - Lauren Zick, St. John's*
OF - Micah Fitzgerald, DePaul
OF - Sam Dellinger, Creighton
UT - Gretchen Bowie, St. John's
DP - Nicole Pihl, DePaul
All-BIG EAST Second Team
P – Madison Morris, St. John's
P - Tori Free, St. John's
C - Nicole Lundstrom, Providence
1B - Julianne Rurka, Providence
2B - Aujanae McCoy, Creighton
3B - Lauren Herschberg, Villanova
SS - Brittany Husk, Villanova
OF - Jenna Foreman, Butler
OF - Emma Lee, Providence
OF - Ashley Cantu, Creighton
UT - Kaitlin Doud, Butler
DP - Savannah Warren, St. John's
* denotes unanimous selection
http://www.shupirates.com/news/2017...alkden-named-big-east-player-of-the-year.aspx
