University of Minnesota Athletics
Higginbotham Named to All-Big Ten Second Team
5/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
University of Minnesota softball player Megan Higginbotham has been named to the All-Big Ten Second Team, the conference office announced today. A senior from Tallahassee, Fla., Higginbotham collects All-Big Ten accolades for the second time in her career. She was a first-team selection in 2005.
Higginbotham led all Big Ten shortstops and ranked fourth overall with a .419 batting average and .767 slugging percentage during league games in 2007, while ranking seventh among all players with a .490 on-base percentage. She scored 15 runs in Big Ten contests out of the leadoff spot, tied for fourth-most in the conference.
After spending the first three years of her career behind the plate, Higginbotham moved to shortstop this season, and despite having to adjust to one of the most difficult positions on the field, her numbers stayed consistent. For the fourth straight season, she led the team in batting average (.311) and doubles (11), while pacing the Golden Gophers in runs scored (35) and stolen bases (15) for the second consecutive season. Her 15 stolen bases on the year were tied for eighth overall in the Big Ten.
One of the most productive players in program history, Higginbotham finished her career sixth on the school’s record chart with a .353 career batting average. She also ranks third all-time with 22 career home runs, fourth with 44 doubles and fifth with 69 stolen bases. She started all 204 games of her collegiate career.
Meyer Honored with Sportsmanship Award
In addition, the conference office announced honorees from each school for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The student-athletes also must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Senior Katie Meyer was selected as Minnesota’s honoree and is now a candidate for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, as the conference office will honor one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.
A native of Bloomington, Minn., Meyer is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and U of M Scholar-Athlete. She has served on the executive board of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee each of the last two years and has been involved in a number of volunteer activities both on campus and in the Twin Cities community. Last season, Meyer was honored with the team’s Blue Collar Award for her determination and enthusiasm on and off the field as well as the Severson/Coaches Award for outstanding dedication to the program.
2007 ALL-BIG TEN SOFTBALL TEAMS
*First Team
**Garland Cooper, Sr., NU, 1B
Nicole Pauly, Fr., NU, 2B
Ashley Hall, Jr., PUR, 3B
Erin Riemersma, So., IOWA, SS
Samantha Marder, Fr., OSU, C
Jamee Juarez, Sr., OSU, UT
Angela Findlay, Fr., MICH, OF
Traci Nicosia, Jr., MSU, OF
Katie Logan, Sr., NU, OF
Courtney Pruner, So., OSU OF
Katie Mitchell, So., PUR, DP
Eileen Canney, Sr., NU, P
Nikki Nemitz, Fr., MICH, P
Second Team
Samantha Findlay, Jr., MICH, 1B
Brittany Vanderink, Jr., OSU, 2B
Caitlin Mahoney, Jr., MSU 3B
Megan Higginbotham, Sr., MINN, SS
Tiffany Worthy, Sr., MICH, C
Summer Downs, Jr., IOWA, UT
Hope Howell, Fr., ILL, OF
Nikki Nicosia, Jr., MSU, OF
Jessica Rigas, So., NU, DP
Brittany Weil, So., IOWA, P
Lorilyn Wilson, Sr., MICH, P
Third Team
Christina Douglas, Sr., OSU, 1B
Colleen McGlaughlin, So., IOWA, 2B
Shanna Diller, Jr., ILL, 3B
Tammy Williams, So., NU, SS
Emily Nichols, Jr., IOWA, C
Ashley Esparza, Jr., PSU, UT
Megan Schwab, Sr., OSU, OF
Danielle Kinley, So., PSU, OF
Samantha Polito, Sr., WIS, OF
Lauren Daykin, Sr., OSU, DP
Brooke Baker, Sr., PUR, P
Lauren Delaney, Fr., NU, P
Player of the Year: Garland Cooper, NU
Pitcher of the Year: Eileen Canney, NU
Freshman of the Year: Nicole Pauly, NU
Coach of the Year: Linda Kalafatis, OSU
2007 SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Shanna Diller, ILL
Sarah Padove, IND
Katie Brown, IOWA
Rebekah Milian, MICH
Dayna Feenstra, MSU
Katie Meyer, MINN
Erin Dyer, NU
Lauren Daykin, OSU
Kelsey Francisco, PSU
Erika Peterson, PUR
Valyncia Raphael, WIS
* Additional honorees due to ties
** - Unanimous selection
