Ceres High grad/University of Washington softball standout Nicole “Sis” Bates is a finalist for the MTRWestern Seattle Female Sports Star of the Year honor.
Other nominees include Devon Adelman (Special Olympics USA Games), Alexis Montgomery (Seattle University basketball), Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm), Jodie Taylor (Seattle Reign FC) and Morgan Weaver (Washington State University soccer).
The 84th Annual MTRWestern Sports Star of the Year gala will be held at the Sheraton Grand Seattle tomorrow night.
"I absolutely won’t be disappointed if I don’t win the award, considering I am nominated with people like Breanna Stewart."Nicole Bates
“I’m so humbled to be nominated,” said Bates, who will not be able to attend the banquet because Washington’s softball team is leaving for Mexico the same day to play in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge. “My old teammate Ali Aguilar actually won this award a couple years back. I absolutely won’t be disappointed if I don’t win the award, considering I am nominated with people like Breanna Stewart. Just so incredibly cool to even be thought of in the same category as these women.”
A middle infielder, Nicole started every game for the Huskies for the second year in a row this past spring.
She posted the highest single-season fielding percentage (.985) for a shortstop in the 26-year history of Washington’s softball program.
She also became just the fifth Husky player to collect 140-plus hits in their first two seasons.
Bates batted .389 from the plate with five homers, three triples, 16 doubles, 37 RBIs, 53 runs, 25 walks and nine stolen bases on the year.
She committed just four errors and turned 12 double plays.
Nicole was a finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
She was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division-I All-American and All-Region first teams.
She was voted Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
She was selected to the conference’s All-Defensive and First teams.
She also earned Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention recognition.
Bates became just the third player from Washington to win the conference’s top defensive player award.
Bates and Washington fell two wins shy of winning the 2018 NCAA Division-I Women’s College World Series title.
Florida State swept the best-of-three championship matchup en route to claiming its first national crown this past June in Oklahoma City.
Washington beat top-seeded Oregon once and reigning two-time national champion Oklahoma twice on its way to advancing to the finals.
Bates was selected to the WCWS All-Tournament Team.
Nicole collected two doubles, one single, two RBIs, two runs and one stolen base while batting second for the Huskies.
Bates’ spectacular play on defense drew praise from ESPN commentators during the course of the tournament.
Washington spent a lengthy part of the season ranked No. 1 in the 2018 USA Today/NFCA Division-I Coaches Poll. The Huskies also climbed to the No. 1 spot in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll.
Washington amassed a 52-10 overall record, finished fourth in the Pac-12 Conference (15-8) and claimed Super Regional and Regional titles.
