Blair Garners Fourth All-Big Ten First Team Citation, U-M Earns Six Total Honors
5/10/2023 10:13:00 AM | Softball
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The University of Michigan softball team earned six total honors, including three representatives on the first and second teams, as the Big Ten Conference announced its 2022 all-conference softball teams and individual award winners on Wednesday morning (May 10).
Graduate student outfielder Lexie Blair was named to the All-Big Ten first team for the fourth time in her career, while sophomore pitcher Lauren Derkowski and freshman Indiana Langford were named to the second team. Blair was also named to the All-Defensive Team, while Langford was named to the All-Freshmen Team. Junior catcher Keke Tholl was selected as Michigan's sportsmanship honoree.
Blair becomes Michigan's fifth All-Big Ten first team selection, joining Bonnie Tholl, Angela Findlay, Nikki Nemitz and Sierra Romero. Blair leads the Wolverines with a .353 batting average in conference play and owns 28 runs scored, 27 RBI and 17 extra-base hits, including 14 doubles. Previously the 2021 Big Ten Player of the Year, Blair boasts the U-M program record with 72 doubles and ranks top five with her .370 career batting average.
Michigan's second-team honorees both garnered All-Big Ten recognition for the first time in their careers. Derkowski has emerged as the Wolverines' ace this season after earning limited innings as a rookie in 2022. She owns an 18-13 record with a 2.11 earned-run average and 217 strikeouts -- the second most in the conference this season. Derkowski tossed back-to-back no-hitters against Purdue last month and owns five complete-game shutouts.
Langford broke out from the second base position during the Big Ten season. She ranks second on the Wolverine squad with a .304 batting average, including a .340 mark in conference games, with 19 runs scored, six RBI and eight stolen bases.
Tholl has also had a breakout season for the Wolverines with a .295 batting average, .604 slugging percentage and .374 on-base percentage. She leads the team and ranks among the best in the Big Ten with 11 homers and 48 RBI.
Michigan will open up play in the Big Ten Tournament against Penn State at 1:30 p.m. CDT today at Eichelberger Field in Champaign, Ill. All tournament games will air live on the Big Ten Network.
