ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Redshirt junior Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) has been named Missouri Valley Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season, the league office announced Monday, March 26.
 
In her lone start last week, Newman pitched a shutout with a season-high 15 strikeouts and allowed just one hit and one to Indiana State. She earned her 51st career win, which is tied for sixth all-time at Drake. Her 15 strikeouts put her at 661 in her outstanding career as she moved into fourth all-time in school history. The only hit for the Sycamores came in the fifth inning with two outs and after the hit, Newman struck out seven of the final eight Sycamores to end the game. It is Newman's second one-hitter this year.
 
Newman, who missed most of the 2017 season due to injury, holds a 9-2 record with a league-best 0.77 earned run average and 106 strikeouts to just 12 walks in just 64.0 innings of work. Her ERA ranks ninth in the nation while her strikeouts to walk ratio is the seventh-best in the nation. Newman, who has been named MVC Pitcher of the Week eight times in her career, earned back-to-back awards to open 2018.
 
Newman and her teammates travel Iowa Wednesday for a 5 p.m. contest before they host Bradley Friday in the team's home opener. First pitch for the doubleheader with the Braves is set for 2 p.m.