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Megan Nelson
Position: Infielder
Class: Junior
Hometown: Normal, IL
High School: Normal West
2008: OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll... OVC All-Tournament Team… Nelson was the only Panther to start every game at the same position (shortstop) and place in the lineup (leadoff)… led the league in stolen bases en route to becoming just the third Panther to post a 30-steal season in program history… went 5-for-7 at the OVC Tournament to represent EIU on the All-Tourney Team… led the team in batting average, hits, multi-hit games and stolen bases… registered 15 of her stolen bases in OVC play… reached base safely to begin an inning 47 percent of the time (33-of-70)… batted an impressive .541 (20-for-37) while committing just one error at home… led the team with a .395 average and seven runs scored in neutral-site games… batted .338 while going 15-for-20 on basestealing opportunities in March… led the way with a .308 average and 11-for-12 basestealing showing in April… hit safely in all five games in May en route to a 10-for-18 effort for the month… posted three five-game hitting streaks total… also hit safely in six straight games in early April… was 8-for-8 stealing bases during spring break… batted .356 with a 9-for-9 basestealing showing during post-spring break midweek action… posted multi-hit efforts in each of the first three home games, highlighted by her first career three-hit showing in the nightcap of the doubleheader sweep of Austin Peay… went 4-for-4 in the win against Southern Illinois, posting the first four-hit game by a Panther since 2004… knocked in the game-winning run in the fifth inning of the comeback victory against Southeast Missouri, capping a 3-for-4 day with a two-out double… hit safely in all three games of the Samford and Eastern Kentucky series… National Rankings: 14th in stolen bases… OVC Top 10 Rankings: first in stolen bases, ninth in batting average and 10th in hits… EIU All-Time Rankings: fourth in stolen bases.
2007: OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll... She played in 44 games and started 35 times, primarily in center (19) and right field (15)… led the team in stolen bases and ranked second in outfield assists (5)… reached base 36 percent of the time when leading off an inning… collected five of her seven RBIs with two down in an inning thanks to 11 two-out hits… batted .267 and struck out just once in 45 at-bats at home… scored all 11 of her runs while batting .317 in EIU victories… also registered eight of her 10 stolen bases in wins… was 7-for-20 with no strikeouts and three outfield assists in post-spring break midweek action… posted a six-game hitting streak, the second longest on the team… collected a double, two hits and two RBIs in rematch at Central Arkansas… knocked in a key insurance run with a two-out single in the seventh inning of the Missouri State win… had two hits, two outfield assists, an RBI and scored a run in the victory over Saint Louis… went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the win over nationally-ranked Illinois State… singled and scored twice in the victory over Jacksonville State.
HIGH SCHOOL: Megan was a four-year letter-winner for coach April Schermann… also lettered twice in volleyball and cheerleading… three-time First Team All-Big 12 Conference selection… team captain as an upperclassman… volleyball team captain as a senior… Normal West was Big 12 Conference champs in 2005… also played for the Twin City T-Birds summer league team… National Honor Society.
PERSONAL: Her parents have been a major influence on her career because "they’ve supported me in all my decisions throughout my career and encouraged me to stay active in multiple sports"… most admires coach Schermann because "she had more passion for the game than anyone else I know"… three of her brothers each played collegiate baseball: Nicolas at Millikin, Chris at Augustana and Spike at Kankakee Community College… daughter of Greg and Kathy Nelson… MAJOR: Biological Sciences.
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