By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Junior pitcher Jenna Ignowski has been named the Gatorade Michigan Softball Player of the Year.
Ignowski, who will take to the circle this afternoon against Wyoming Rogers in the Division 2 state quarterfinals (see related story) is the first player from Niles High School to earn Player of the Year status.
"She's just an extension of our program," Niles coach Gary Collins said about the award reflecting well on the Niles softball team. "It's great for the program and it's great for her."
Ignowski was awaken with the news this morning by her coach and was surprised by the announcement.
"I'm just speechless," she said. "I didn't believe him when he called me. I really don't know what it means, but it was great just being put in that category."
Gatorade and RISE Magazine are now in their third decade of honoring the nation's top athletes.
The award is for not only athletic achievement, but academic excellence and exemplary character.
Ignowski is 34-2 this season, allowing just one earned run with 465 strikeouts in over 230 innings of work. She has given up just 59 hits.
She has walked just 16 batters while recording 12 no-hitters, seven perfect games and 31 shutouts. She has an ERA of 0.03.
Those impressive numbers will land Ignowski, who has verbally committed to Eastern Michigan University, on the state's all-time leaders list.
Ignowski is tied with Jenny Mackson of Pinconning for first place all-time for perfect games. She is second to Mackson in shutouts and currently 11th on the list for strikeouts in a single season.
Ignowski is also one game behind former Brandywine standout Nicole McGowen on the single season wins listing. McGowen is currently tied for 20th with 35 victories.
At the plate she is equally as deadly.
Ignowski is currently hitting .426 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs.
The junior is as good in the classroom as she is on the diamond. Ignowski carries a 3.41 GPA and is a member of the Niles Key Club.
She also volunteers to help team pitching at area clinics, reads to children as part of a literacy-outreach program and coordinates local fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life among other things.