Meghan Beaubien named B1G Freshman, Pitcher of the Year; Hutch wins 17th Coach of the Year honor

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

The B1G announced the softball awards today and Michigan dominated as usual.

B1G Pitcher of the Year
Meghan Beaubien, LHP

B1G Freshman of the Year
Meghan Beaubien, P

B1G Coach of the Year
Carol Hutchins (17th coach of the year honor)

First Team All-B1G
Meghan Beaubien, P (unanimous)
Tera Blanco, 1B (unanimous)
Faith Canfield, 2B

Second Team All-B1G
Katie Alexander

B1G All-Freshman Team
Meghan Beaubien, P (unanimous)
Natalia Rodriguez, SS

B1G All-Defensive Team
Faith Canfield, 2B

B1G Sportsmanship Honoree
Morgan Swift, C

Complete Release

MGoBoard

Wolverine Devotee

May 9th, 2018 at 8:42 PM ^

Michigan Softball has won 11 B1G Championships since Football last won one. Also a National Championship and 5 World Series appearances. They aren't even in the same zip code right now and haven't been for a long time. Maybe Football should win something for once.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

UofM626

May 9th, 2018 at 4:01 PM ^

In Cali at Cal State Fullerton for the tourney. What a great team they have, I hope we can somehow finish strong and not have another set back at the end of the year.

Joined: 01/02/2012

MGoPoints: 3443

Indy Pete - Go Blue

May 9th, 2018 at 4:17 PM ^

Hutch is a living legend. It is easy to take her for granted, but that is not fair to her. She deserves to be celebrated for this amazing accomplishment! (best coach out of 14 this season) MB is incredible, too.

Joined: 01/23/2018

MGoPoints: 156532

South Bend Wolverine

May 9th, 2018 at 4:43 PM ^

It says something about what a wonder Beaubien is that I took Pitcher & Freshman of the Year for granted ... was kinda hoping she'd get a clean sweep & take home Player of the Year too, but I guess you can't have everything. :)  She's only going to get better going forward, though.  Some bigger-time awards may very well be in her future.

Joined: 09/11/2009

MGoPoints: 7918

BlueChip27

May 9th, 2018 at 4:46 PM ^

But what Meghan is doing is a little mind blowing. The latest NCAA stats show she is 5 wins ahead off the next pitcher in line. It might be an understatement but for a freshwoman that is absolutely off the charts.

Go Blue!

Joined: 10/09/2017

MGoPoints: 305

Solecismic

May 9th, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^

Congratulations for a well-earned set of awards. The Big Ten has never had a player sweep the Player and Pitcher of the Year awards. The closest was 2015, when Megan Betsa was Pitcher and Sara Groenewegen (Minnesota) was Player. While both were absolutely dominant pitchers, Groenewegen was a decent hitter as well. Since that was the only year Sierra Romero didn't win Player of the Year, and her hitting wasn't much different as a junior as the other years, there has to be some sort of voting system that gives a second pitcher a chance at that award. Gotta wonder, who chose Amber Fiser of Minnesota over Beaubien for Pitcher of the Year. Not that Fiser isn't really good, because she is clearly #2 in the conference. But that Beaubien was simply better in every category.

Joined: 11/27/2016

MGoPoints: 6973

South Bend Wolverine

May 9th, 2018 at 6:09 PM ^

As nervous as it makes me to put that kind of expectation on a freshman, she has definitely be playing at a Romo-like level this year.  If she improves even incrementally (although at times it feels hard to see *how* she could improve!), she will be in the discussion with Romo & Jennie Ritter for best UM player of all time.

Joined: 09/11/2009

MGoPoints: 7918

OCBlue

May 9th, 2018 at 5:32 PM ^

Surprised with #2 defense in the nation that only one Michigan player made all Big Ten defensive team. Don't have enough knowledge to know if someone was slighted but seems off to me.

Joined: 10/10/2009

MGoPoints: 53