Four Huskers Earn All-Big 12 Accolades

Oklahoma City ? Senior Ashley DeBuhr was selected to the All-Big 12 first team, while fellow Husker sophomores Molly Hill, Haley Long and Crystal Carwile were second-team selections, the league office announced during the opening day of the Big 12 Championship on Thursday.

 

DeBuhr earned her second straight appearance on the first team and ends her career as a three-time All-Big 12 selection after earning second-team honors as a sophomore in 2005. One of the top pitchers in the conference, DeBuhr ranks among the Big 12 leaders with 18 wins, a 1.70 ERA, 247 strikeouts, four saves, five shutouts, a .191 opponent batting average and 26 complete games. In a stellar Big 12 career, DeBuhr posted a 24-18 record while striking out 310 batters in only 284.2 innings.

 

Hill joined DeBuhr as an All-Big 12 pitcher, earning the first All-Big 12 award of her career. Hill led the league with an overall ERA of 1.05 that also ranked eighth nationally, while compiling a 17-8 record to date. A right-hander from Wayne, Neb., Hill was also the second-toughest pitcher to hit in the Big 12, as opponents managed only a paltry .188 average against her.  In league games only, Hill was nearly as good, finishing with a 5-3 record and a 1.24 ERA that ranked fourth in the conference.

 

With DeBuhr and Hill both earning spots on the all-conference teams, it extends the Huskers’ league-leading streak to 11 consecutive seasons with at least one pitcher earning All-Big 12 accolades. It also marks the first time since 2002 that Nebraska had more than one pitcher earn all-conference honors. That season NU boasted two All-Americans in Peaches James and Leigh Ann Walker.

 

While the pitchers headlined Nebraska’s All-Big 12 selections, a pair of underclassmen were selected for their work with the bat. Carwile earned second-team honors for the second consecutive season after posting a .287 average with 14 doubles, three home runs and 26 RBIs through the regular season. Her 14 doubles ranked third in the league, while her six doubles in conference action tied for the Big 12 lead.

 

Long, who is in her first season at the Division I level, joined Hill as a first-time honoree. Long is hitting .268 this season, but she led all NU starters with a .271 average during league play while also stealing a team-high two bases. Long also recorded four multi-hit games during Big 12 play while striking out only six times.

 

Nebraska’s four selections were tied for the third-most among all league schools. Oklahoma led the league with seven selections, while regular-season champion Baylor had four honorees. The Huskers, who feature 10 combined freshmen and sophomores on their 15-player roster, had three underclassmen selected, which tied the Sooners for tops in the league.

 

NU also added three first-team academic All-Big 12 selections, including Hill. Nebraska leads the league with 125 combined All-Big 12 and academic All-Big 12 selections, including a league-high 79 first-team honorees.