University of Minnesota Athletics
Big Ten Players of the Year
Barb Drake1986
Barb Drake was the first Golden Gopher to be named Big Ten Player of the Year after helping lead Minnesota to its first Big Ten title in 1986. A two-time All-American in 1984 and '86, Drake was inducted into the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame in 1992 and the M Club Hall of Fame in 2004.
Kari Blank1991
Kari Blank was named co-Big Ten Player of the Year and earned All-America status in 1991 after leading the Golden Gophers to the Big Ten title. Blank hit .335 and blasted a Minnesota-record 43 runs batted. She was inducted into the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame in 1995 and the M Club Hall of Fame in 2014.
Sara Groenewegen2015
Named Big Ten Player of the Year in 2015, Sara Groenewegen was a two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. She became the school's first three-time All-American following her senior season with the Maroon and Gold. A third-team Academic All-American, Groenewegen finished her career as the Gophers all-time strikeout leader with 1,214 in her career.
Kendyl Lindaman2017-18
Lindaman was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year in her two seasons in Gold Country. She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and was also the first ever league player to be named a Schutt Sports / NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year top-3 finalist. A third-team Academic All-American, she tied the single-season home run record with 20.
Jess Oakland2024
Oakland was named Big Ten Player of the Year while earning NFCA second-team All-American honors following a stellar 2024 season. The two-time All-Region honoree was Minnesota's single season leader with 68 runs scored, second in batting average (.452), fifth in doubles (19), first in home runs (20), and fourth in walks (44).