PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Graduate student catcher Katie Wingert was named the Big Ten Player of the Week it was announced on Monday by the conference office.

Wingert helped Rutgers to a 4-1 opening weekend hitting .444 with five home runs going long in four of five games to move into second all-time at Rutgers in home runs. She also added eight hits, five runs and 10 RBIs and held down a 1.333 slugging percentage in wins over Houston, Colgate and Indiana State.

Wingert opened the weekend taking her second pitch of the 2024 season deep for a two-run shot and a lead RU would not relinquish in a 9-1 run-rule victory over Colgate.

Game two saw Wingert with a 3-run blast in her first plate appearance in RU's 14-5 win over Indiana State.

The home runs continued for Wingert on day two with three total. She went 3-for-4 smacking her first pitch of the third inning over the wall to give Rutgers the lead at 3-2 in the eventual 10-2 victory versus weekend host Houston. Wingert followed with two more dingers in the game that immediately followed in a 7-4 victory over Colgate. Wingert initiated RU's comeback from a four-run deficit with a solo long ball in the third. After RU took the lead in the sixth, Wingert added some cushion with a two-run bomb.

Her streak of home runs marked the second time Katie Wingert has had at least three consecutive games with home runs. She also went over the fence in consecutive games against Tennessee Tech on March 9, 2019 and Saint Joseph's on March 15, 2019 in her freshman campaign.

Wingert's weekend also helped the graduate catcher move up on all-time career lists at Rutgers. With her five total on the weekend, she moved into a tie for second all-time in home runs "On The Banks" with 34 career dingers. She needs six more to tie Jackie Bates (2012-15) as RU's all-time home run leader. Wingert also moved up to fifth all-time in RBIs at Rutgers having totaled 115 to date.

This marks Winger's second Big Ten Weekly Award. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week back on April 19, 2019 after hitting three home runs and driving six during a Big Ten series sweep of Penn State.
 

The Rutgers softball team returns to action this weekend at the Panther Invitational in Miami. The Scarlet Knights are set for five games in a field that includes host FIU, No. 9/10 Duke and Army West Point.
 
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