Outfielder Burkhardt Named an Inaugural Gold Glove Winner
6/1/2022 6:20:00 PM | Softball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- University of Michigan graduate student outfielder Kristina Burkhardt was named a recipient of the inaugural softball Rawlings Gold Glove Award, announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Wednesday (June 1). Burkhardt, who earned the honor at right field, was one of nine student-athletes -- one for each defensive position -- to earn a Gold Glove Award.
Rawlings, the creator of the Gold Glove Award celebrating defensive excellence in baseball since 1957, announced in February that the award would be presented to NCAA Division I softball athletes for the first time in its 65-year history. Recipients of the Gold Glove Awards were selected by the NFCA Division I All-America Committee, using advanced fielding analytics, fielding statistics, strength of schedule and compilations of video to closely examine finalists and select the winners at every defensive position.
Burkhardt started all 56 games in the outfield for Michigan, splitting time between at center and right, and boasted a 1.000 fielding percentage with 85 putouts and two assists. A Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree, she also was named to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region second team.
She also led the Wolverines offensively, boasting a team-best.369 batting average with 69 hits, 41 runs and 32 RBI. She ranks among the top 10 nationally in both doubles (20) and triples (seven) -- the latter the most by a Wolverine player since 1993.
Burkhardt was one of three Big Ten players to garner Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, joining Nebraska's Courtney Wallace (pitcher) and Northwestern's Jordyn Rudd (catcher).
