Around The Big Ten – April 9

More on this week’s edition of “Big Ten Whip Around” — start listening to SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372) on the SiriusXM app now.

BASEBALL

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kooper Schulte, Iowa
Jr. — 2B/3B — New London, Iowa — Southeastern CC

• Batted .600 and reached base at a .692 clip in helping Iowa extend its win streak to 10 games and a fifth-straight Big Ten series win
• Hit .571 with runners on and successfully advanced runners in 7-of-9 chances (.778); went 4-for-4 with runners on third base with less than two outs
• Led Big Ten players with a 1.892 OPS on the week
• The junior college transfer earns his first Big Ten weekly award
• Last Hawkeye named Big Ten Player of the Week: Reese Moore (March 24, 2025)

PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Cade Obermueller, Iowa
Jr. — S-LHP — Iowa City, Iowa — City High

• Threw a complete game in Iowa’s 12-1 win over Northwestern on April 4 in Evanston
• Allowed one hit (single), one walk and one unearned run in seven innings of work
• Struck out a career-high 12 batters and held Northwestern to a .045 batting average
• The Texas Rangers draft pick garners his third career Big Ten pitching honor
• Last Hawkeye chosen Big Ten Pitcher of the Week: Aaron Savary (March 10, 2025)

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Jackson Hotchkiss, Washington
Fr. — OF — Battle Ground, Wash. — Battle Ground HS

• Helped Washington to a 4-0 week and its first Big Ten series sweep
• Batted .357 (5-for-14) with two home runs and four RBI
• Recorded a .471 on-base percentage and a .857 slugging percentage
• The first-year outfielder takes home his first conference weekly award
• Becomes first Husky to receive Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades

SOFTBALL

Player of the Week
Megan Grant, UCLA
Jr. – UTL – San Bruno, Calif. – Aragon High School – Major: Sociology

• Led UCLA to a 4-0 week, including a top 25 sweep of No. 21 Ohio State, with a team-best .727 batting average (8-for-11), two home runs, nine RBI, a 1.455 slugging percentage and a .769 on-base percentage
• Went 2-for-4 in game one versus the Buckeyes on Friday, hitting two home runs and tallying a career-high seven RBI. Grant’s second home run of the night was a walk-off grand slam to secure a run-rule victory, 14-6, in five innings
• Her third career multi-home run performance brought her season home run total to 17, which is tied for the lead in the Big Ten
• On the week, Grant recorded two hits in each of UCLA’s four games and recorded a pair of doubles in a 2-for-2 performance versus UC San Diego on Tuesday
• Last UCLA Player of the Week: Megan Grant (April 7, 2025)

Pitcher of the Week
Elise Sokolsky, Oregon
Jr. – RHP – Little Rock, Ark. – Bentonville West High School – Major: General Social Science

• Went 3-0 as Oregon swept Michigan and defeated Oregon State, posting a .051 ERA in 13.2 innings pitched
• Yielded one run on four hits, struck out 14 and walked four, limiting opponents to a .091 hitting percentage
• Threw a complete game, allowing one hit while striking out six in a 9-1 win at Oregon State
• Earned the win in game one against Michigan, allowing no runs in 1.2 innings of relief
• Threw 5.0 innings out of the bullpen in the second game against Michigan, holding the Wolverines scoreless over the final five innings and striking out six
• Last Oregon Pitcher of the Week: Lyndsey Grein (Feb. 24, 2025)

Freshman of the Week
Stefini Ma’ake, Oregon
DP – San Diego, Calif.  – Academy of Our Lady Peace – Major: Undeclared

• Hit .500 with three home runs and seven RBI as Oregon swept Michigan and defeated Oregon State
• Was 5-for-10 on the week and had a slugging percentage of 1.400
• Went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Wednesday’s 9-1 win at Oregon State
• Drove in the Ducks’ second run in Friday’s 3-2 series opening victory over Michigan
• Hit a three-run home run in Saturday’s 9-1 win in the finale against Michigan
• Earns her second consecutive Freshman of the Week honor and third of the season
• Last Oregon Freshman of the Week: Stefini Ma’ake (March 31, 2025)

MEN’S LACROSSE

Offensive Players of the Week
Alex Marinier, Ohio State
Senior – Attack – Burlington, Ontario– Major: Finance

• Tied his career high of seven points in win at No. 17 Johns Hopkins Scored six goals on eight shots and added an assist
• Also added a ground ball and caused turnover to round out the effort
• Marinier became the 15^th player in Ohio State school history to record 40 goals in a season
• Marinier’s third Offensive Player of the Week Award. Last: (March 18, 2025)

Defensive Player of the Week
Ryan Splaine, Rutgers
Junior – LSM – Rockville, Md. – Major: Communication

• Recorded three ground balls and one caused turnover in an upset win over No. 2 Maryland
• Held Maryland’s top two midfielders, who each entered with the game with 100 career goals, scoreless
• Splaine and the Rutgers defense held Maryland to six goals, its lowest total since joining the Big Ten in 2015
• Last Rutgers Defensive Player of the Week Award: Ethan Rall (April 11, 2023)

Specialist of the Week
Cardin Stoller, Rutgers
Rs-Freshman – Goalie – Owing Mills, Md. – Major: Communications

• Allowed only six goals on 20 shots in Rutgers 8-6 upset win over No. 2 Maryland
• Also scooped up four groundballs and added a caused turnover
• Scored a goal in the final minutes of the game to ice the victory and put Rutgers up by three goals
• Named National Player of the Week by USA Lacrosse Magazine, Player of the Week by The Lacrosse Network, and Goalie of the Week by Lax Reference
• Last Rutgers Specialist of the Week Award: Cardin Stoller (April 9, 2024)

Freshman of the Week
Colin Zeller, Rutgers
Rs-Freshman – Midfield – Haverford, Pa. – Major: Pre-Business

• Scored three goals in 8-6 upset win over No. 2 Maryland
• His third goal widened Rutgers lead and put them up 7-5 with four minutes in the fourth quarter
• Zeller’s first career hat trick was the most goals among Big Ten freshman this week Last Rutgers Freshman of the Week Award: Hadyn Sommer (March 25, 2025)

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Offensive Player of the Week
Madison Taylor, Northwestern
Jr. – A – Wantagh, N.Y. – Wantagh

• Totaled 15 points, nine goals and five draw controls as No. 3 Northwestern improved to 6-0 in Big Ten play
• Paired four goals and four assists to lead the Wildcats to an 18-5 win at No. 4 Johns Hopkins
• Scored five goals, including her 200^th career marker, in a 15-6 road win at Rutgers
• Scores her fifth Offensive Player of the Week honor and fourth of the season
• Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Madison Taylor (March 18, 2025)

Midfielder of the Week
Samantha Smith, Northwestern
Sr. – M – Mill Valley, Calif. – Tamalpais

• Tallied 24 draw controls in a pair of road wins for No. 3 Northwestern
• Recorded 12 draw controls in the Wildcats’ 18-5 win at No. 4 Johns Hopkins
• Notched a dozen draw controls to go with two goals against Rutgers
• Nabs her second career Midfielder of the Week award
• Last Northwestern Midfielder of the Week: Samantha Smith (March 26, 2024)

Defensive Player of the Week 
Samantha White, Northwestern
Sr. – D – Timonium, Md. – Dulaney

• Anchored a defensive effort that allowed just 11 goals in two road wins last week
• Paired a goal, an assist, three ground balls, and three draw controls in the victory at Johns Hopkins
• Added a career-high seven ground balls, five caused turnovers, and a pair of draw controls in win at Rutgers
• Earns her fifth career Defensive Player of the Week accolade and second of the season
• Last Northwestern Defensive Player of the Week: Jane Hansen (March 4, 2025)

Freshman of the Week 
Devin Livingston, Maryland
M – Victor, N.Y. – Victor Senior

• Totaled five goals on seven shots as No. 9 Maryland scored a pair of wins
• Recorded her first hat trick with three goals in an 18-14 win at Arizona State
• Added a pair of goals in the Terps’ 16-8 victory at No. 18 USC
• Notches her first Freshman of the Week award
• Last Maryland Freshman of the Week: Kayla Gilmore (March 18, 2025)

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