Lexie Blair headlines Michigan softball’s All-Big Ten honors

Despite a mediocre year, the Michigan softball team earned multiple All-Big Ten honors. The Big Ten announced Wednesday, hours before the conference tournament, the award winners with four Wolverines making headlines.

Graduate center fielder Lexie Blair represented Michigan on the All-Big Ten First Team, becoming the fifth Wolverine in program history to earn the honor four times. She posted a team-leading .353 batting average with 27 RBI and 14 doubles. Earlier this season, she broke Michigan’s all-time doubles record, already cementing herself in the history books. Blair also earned All-Defensive Team honors for her stalwart performance, leading the Wolverines’ impressive outfield this season. These honors serve as a final tribute to an outstanding athlete who will go down in Michigan history.

After finding herself in the starting lineup midseason, freshman second baseman Indiana Langford has excelled in her role, receiving All-Big Ten Second Team and All-Freshman Team honors. She boasts a .304 batting average, trailing right behind Blair, along with six RBI and 19 runs scored. Using her speed and versatility, Langford also has eight stolen bases and a .392 on base percentage, becoming an essential spark plug for the Wolverines’ offense. While Langford wasn’t a highly recruited player entering the season, playing to her strengths, she has deservingly placed herself with these accolades. 

Likewise, sophomore right-hander Lauren Derkowski continued Michigan’s history of dominance from the circle — landing on the All-Big Ten Second Team. Her breakout campaign saw her rank among the conference’s best with a 2.11 ERA and 217 strikeouts over 195.2 innings pitched. The highlight of her season was back-to-back no-hitters against Purdue which earned conference Pitcher of the Week honors and national Pitcher of the Week honors. Filling the void left by former right-hander Alex Storako, Derkowski emerged as the Wolverines’ ace and never looked back — developing into a dominant pitcher in her second season.

Blair, Langford and Derkowski are Michigan’s only players to receive Big Ten honors, a drop off from the five first and second team selections a year ago and eight total picks amongst every accolade.

And with a surprise absence from the All-Big Ten teams, junior catcher Keke Tholl was an All-Big Ten sportsmanship honoree after her breakout season behind the plate.

After receiving multiple All-Big Ten selections, the Wolverines’ will attempt to look past their awards and focus on the Big Ten Tournament in Champaign, in which their season heavily depends on. Because Michigan will need more than personal accolades to make the NCAA Division I softball tournament.