Hartmann Named Big 12 Freshman of the Year

Nebraska rookie Kim Hartmann was named the Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year according to a vote of the league’s head coaches, the conference office announced Monday.

 

The yearly honors -- which included player, newcomer, freshman and coach of the year for both the men and women -- were announced along with the All-Big 12 singles and doubles teams. Hartmann was also selected to the All-Big 12 squad, one of only two freshmen to earn the honor on the women’s side.

 

Hartmann is the third Husker to earn the award as the conference’s top freshman and the first honoree since 1995 when Lisa Hart earned the accolade. Annie Yang also won the award for the Huskers following the 1994 campaign.

 

Hartmann is the fourth Husker to earn All-Big 12 status in singles play and only the second freshman, joining four-time all-league performer Sandra Noetzel (1997 to 2000). The award for Hartmann marks the fourth straight year Nebraska has had an All-Big 12 selection. Before finishing ranked fourth in career singles wins at Nebraska, Gitte Ostermann was an all-league pick from 2003 to 2005.

 

Hartmann’s selection as freshman of the year marks the second major Big 12 accolade bestowed on the Nebraska program in two years. In 2005, Coach Scott Jacobson earned the league’s coach-of-the-year award before guiding the Huskers to their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

 

A native of Fulda, Germany, Hartmann has excelled in her first season with the Huskers. Playing at the top spot in the singles lineup all spring, Hartmann went 15-9 including an 8-3 mark in conference-only singles matches. Her eight wins were the second-most in conference play at the No. 1 slot this season.

 

Overall, Hartmann owns a 22-11 singles record since the start of fall action. Hartmann opened her career last fall with five straight wins, including three over nationally ranked opponents, including preseason No. 28 Anca Anastasiu of USC, marking the highest-ranked opponent a Husker had defeated in nearly three years.

 

Following the successful fall campaign, Hartmann opened spring play ranked No. 36 nationally, the highest ranking ever for a Husker freshman. After stumbling a little early in the spring, Hartmann came back strong down the stretch and is currently ranked No. 94 to pace the Huskers.

 

Hartmann led Nebraska to its first-ever appearance in the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship last weekend. She went 2-1 in singles action, falling only to No. 5 Zuzana Zemenova of Baylor, who was named the Big 12 Player of the Year for the second straight season on Monday. Texas A&M’s Sarah Foster was the league newcomer of the year while his peers tabbed Joey Scrivano of Baylor as the Big 12 Coach of the Year.

 

Nebraska awaits the announcement of the NCAA Tournament selection on Wednesday, May 3 on ESPNews (men, 7:30 p.m. CST; women, 7:45 p.m. CST). The Huskers, who lost in the first round of the national tourney last year, will be looking for only their second postseason appearance ever after posting a 17-9 record through the league championship. NU has earned at least 15 team victories in each of the past four seasons.