OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Redshirt junior pitcher Nicole Newman (Madison, Wis.) of the Drake University softball team was named to the 2018 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Third Team, the NFCA announced this afternoon at its NCAA Women's College World Series press conference. Newman is the first-ever NFCA All-American at Drake and the first in the Missouri Valley Conference since the 2010 season.
 
Newman, who missed nearly all of 2017 due to injury, dominated in her return to the circle in 2018. She was named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year for the second time in her career. Newman finished with a 22-5 record, an MVC-low earned run average of 0.89 (tied for third in nation) and 245 strikeouts. Newman, who threw three no-hitters in 2018, including just the fourth-ever in the MVC Tournament in the Bulldogs' semifinal victory over Valparaiso, is No. 1 all-time at Drake and No. 7 in MVC history in career strikeouts with 800.
 
Newman recorded 10 or more strikeouts in nine games this season, including a career-high 18 in her first no-hitter against Valparaiso during the regular season, and has hit double-digit strikeouts in 29 games in her career. She is tied for No. 2 all-time in career wins at Drake with 64. Her 22 wins this past season is tied with her total in 2016 for the second-best single season win total in school history.
 
Newman, who was selected to the 2018 NFCA Midwest All-Region First Team, was picked to the NFCA Midwest All-Region Second Team in 2015 and 2016 and is a three-time All-MVC First Team selection.
 
Newman helped Drake achieved multiple milestones in 2018, including winning the MVC regular season and tournament titles. The Bulldogs won their first-ever NCAA Tournament games with two victories over BYU and set the program record for most overall wins with 45 and MVC wins with 24. Drake had a 24-game winning streak that started the final weekend before conference play and didn't end until the second-to-last league series.