Feb. 21, 2006

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Senior Kristen Amegin (West Sacramento, Calif./Elk Grove) has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week after slugging No. 12 Northwestern to a 4-1 record at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., last weekend.

The senior hit .500 and slugged 1.143 at the Classic, going 7-for-14 with a double, three home runs and eight RBIs. She currently leads the Wildcats with a .414 batting average and an .862 slugging percentage on the season.

Amegin started the Classic hot, homering against Cal State Fullerton in a 5-4 Northwestern win. She then went 4-for-5 Saturday in games against No. 14 Oregon State and No. 8 California. She hit her second bomb of the tournament in a 3-0 Wildcat win over the Bears, taking two-time All-American Kristina Thorson deep for a solo homer.

Amegin capped her tournament with a three-run shot against Central Michigan, which then intentionally walked her in her final two at-bats of the game.

The honor is the second of Amegin's career -- she also was Big Ten Player of the Week on April 26, 2005.