Northwestern University Athletics
Marina Mason, Emma Raye Earn All-Big Ten Honors
5/8/2026 11:00:00 AM | Softball
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Northwestern softball's Marina Mason and Emma Raye each earned First Team All-Big Ten selections, the conference office announced on Friday.
Mason was named a unanimous selection following a dominant rookie campaign, also landing on the conference's All-Freshman Team. The junior Raye earns first-ever All-Big Ten selection after leading the Wildcats at the plate in every statistical category. In addition, graduate student Abby Harvey was named Northwestern's Big Ten Sportsmanship award winner.
Northwestern has now landed multiple players on the All-Big Ten First Team in six of the last seven seasons. Mason and Raye mark the 109th and 110th All-Big Ten awards that have been earned throughout the 25 year tenure of Kate Drohan, as well as the first Wildcat battery to earn First Team all-conference honors since Danielle Williams and Jordyn Rudd did so in three-straight seasons (2019-22).
Mason is leading the Wildcats' pitching staff in wins (18), strikeouts (170), ERA (2.42) and WHIP (1.12) — all of which also rank Top 5 among all Big Ten pitchers. The Brentwood, Tennessee native posted a 13-3 record, a 2.00 ERA (27 ER/94.2 IP), 101 strikeouts and a 1.07 WHIP during conference play, and closed the regular season going 10-0 with six complete games and four shutouts in 10 appearances. She is the first Wildcat rookie to earn a First-Team All-Big Ten selection since Williams and Rudd in 2019.
On Thursday, Mason was named a Top-10 finalist for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award, one of just four rookie pitchers in the country to be on the list. In addition, she took home Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and Big Ten Freshman of the Week on May 4 following a dominant series performance against Minnesota, headlined by a career high 12 strikeouts in a one-hit shutout in the regular season finale. Mason was also named Softball America's National Pitcher of the Week on March 23 after throwing her first collegiate no-hitter at Illinois, marking the 54th no-hitter in program history and the first by a Northwestern rookie since 2011.
Raye has turned in career highs across the board on offense, as she currently leads the Northwestern lineup with a .384 batting average, 56 hits, 14 home runs, a .767 slugging percentage, a .472 on-base percentage and 57 RBI. The Superior, Wisconsin native also took her game to another level in conference play, posting a .419 average (31-for-74) with eight home runs, 30 RBI and 22 runs scored to go along with a 1.349 OPS.
Raye's team-leading 57 RBI rank seventh in single-season program history and are the most-ever by a Wildcat catcher. Her .767 slugging percentage currently ranks sixth in single-season program history, trailing only Adrienne Monka, Tammy Williams, Rachel Lewis and Garland Cooper. Considered one of the best defensive catchers in the nation as well, Raye has posted 5.26 defensive runs saved this year, which ranks fourth among Big Ten catchers.
Raye was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on April 13 following a dominant performance in a three-game series sweep at Penn State. The junior posted three-different three-hit games, reached base in 11-of-13 plate appearances (.846 OBP) while collecting six RBI, seven runs scored, two homers and three stolen bases. The following week, Raye made a strong case to win back-to-back with Player of the Week honors as she drove in nine RBI while going 5-for-8 with four extra-base hits and five runs scored in another weekend series sweep against Michigan State.
Northwestern has now had a pitcher earn All-Big Ten recognition in each of the last seven seasons, while landing a player on the All-Freshman team in each of the last five years.
Mason was named a unanimous selection following a dominant rookie campaign, also landing on the conference's All-Freshman Team. The junior Raye earns first-ever All-Big Ten selection after leading the Wildcats at the plate in every statistical category. In addition, graduate student Abby Harvey was named Northwestern's Big Ten Sportsmanship award winner.
Northwestern has now landed multiple players on the All-Big Ten First Team in six of the last seven seasons. Mason and Raye mark the 109th and 110th All-Big Ten awards that have been earned throughout the 25 year tenure of Kate Drohan, as well as the first Wildcat battery to earn First Team all-conference honors since Danielle Williams and Jordyn Rudd did so in three-straight seasons (2019-22).
Mason is leading the Wildcats' pitching staff in wins (18), strikeouts (170), ERA (2.42) and WHIP (1.12) — all of which also rank Top 5 among all Big Ten pitchers. The Brentwood, Tennessee native posted a 13-3 record, a 2.00 ERA (27 ER/94.2 IP), 101 strikeouts and a 1.07 WHIP during conference play, and closed the regular season going 10-0 with six complete games and four shutouts in 10 appearances. She is the first Wildcat rookie to earn a First-Team All-Big Ten selection since Williams and Rudd in 2019.
On Thursday, Mason was named a Top-10 finalist for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award, one of just four rookie pitchers in the country to be on the list. In addition, she took home Big Ten Pitcher of the Week and Big Ten Freshman of the Week on May 4 following a dominant series performance against Minnesota, headlined by a career high 12 strikeouts in a one-hit shutout in the regular season finale. Mason was also named Softball America's National Pitcher of the Week on March 23 after throwing her first collegiate no-hitter at Illinois, marking the 54th no-hitter in program history and the first by a Northwestern rookie since 2011.
NO-HITTER FOR MARINA MASON ???? pic.twitter.com/AJjuVKTO2O
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) March 22, 2026
Raye has turned in career highs across the board on offense, as she currently leads the Northwestern lineup with a .384 batting average, 56 hits, 14 home runs, a .767 slugging percentage, a .472 on-base percentage and 57 RBI. The Superior, Wisconsin native also took her game to another level in conference play, posting a .419 average (31-for-74) with eight home runs, 30 RBI and 22 runs scored to go along with a 1.349 OPS.
Raye's team-leading 57 RBI rank seventh in single-season program history and are the most-ever by a Wildcat catcher. Her .767 slugging percentage currently ranks sixth in single-season program history, trailing only Adrienne Monka, Tammy Williams, Rachel Lewis and Garland Cooper. Considered one of the best defensive catchers in the nation as well, Raye has posted 5.26 defensive runs saved this year, which ranks fourth among Big Ten catchers.
??EMMA RAYE, EMMA RAYEEEE ??
— Northwestern Softball (@NUSBcats) April 25, 2026
'CATS IN FRONT. https://t.co/5CdjDOngrS pic.twitter.com/NZQoXTDpNR
Raye was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on April 13 following a dominant performance in a three-game series sweep at Penn State. The junior posted three-different three-hit games, reached base in 11-of-13 plate appearances (.846 OBP) while collecting six RBI, seven runs scored, two homers and three stolen bases. The following week, Raye made a strong case to win back-to-back with Player of the Week honors as she drove in nine RBI while going 5-for-8 with four extra-base hits and five runs scored in another weekend series sweep against Michigan State.
Northwestern has now had a pitcher earn All-Big Ten recognition in each of the last seven seasons, while landing a player on the All-Freshman team in each of the last five years.
Players Mentioned
Softball - Marina Mason Tosses One-Hit Shutout, 'Cats Claim Series Win vs. Minnesota (5/3/26)
Monday, May 04
The Foundation: Northwestern Softball | 2026 Senior Class
Friday, May 01
Softball - Wildcats Open Weekend with 5-1 Win Over Minnesota (5/1/26)
Friday, May 01
Softball - Marina Mason's Complete Game Shutout Fuels a 1-0 Series Sweeping Win at Purdue - 4/26/26
Sunday, April 26
