Ashley Burkhardt Season 2013

Softball infielder Ashley Burkhardt (2012-2015) was drafted by the Dallas Charge of National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) after a four-year playing career at Purdue that saw her earn three-straight All-Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association. The school's game record holder for stolen bases wrapped her career ranked fourth among Boilermakers in sacrifice flies (8), as well as fifth in batting average (.335) and RBI (122). Burkhardt earned first team All-Midwest Region accolades at first base in 2015, following third team accolades at first base in 2014 and first team honors at second base in 2013. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native also was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and garnered first team All-Big Ten accolades in 2014. The Bishop Dwenger High School alumna set the school record for stolen bases in a game with four against Western Michigan on March 15, 2015, and tied the school's game record for home runs with two against Coastal Carolina on Feb. 14, 2014. Burkhardt earned four spots on the season listings in 2015, ranking tied for second in slugging percentage (.681), third in RBI (48) and fifth in batting average (.393), home runs (11), and sacrifice flies (4). She also recorded four sac flies in 2014 to tie for fifth on that season listing. Burkhardt was a steady presence in the field and consistent force at the plate, reaching base in 136 of 167 games her final three seasons (81 percent) and in 77 percent of her 214 career games, while supplying a .250 or better batting average each season, including .320 or better each of her last three campaigns. She led the team in runs scored her sophomore and senior seasons, while also driving in a team-best 43 RBI her senior year. A career .335 hitter, Burkhardt managed 63 extra-base hits, with 31 doubles, nine triples and 23 home runs. The two-time Big Ten Player of the Week (Feb. 16, 2015 and Feb. 18, 2014) also was a threat on the basepaths, swiping 55 bases in 68 attempts. Defensively, she converted on 96 percent of her 1,080 career chances, including a 98 percent success rate her final two seasons. The daughter of Scott and Jennifer Burkhardt was a two-time all-state selection as a prepster, while leading her team to three-straight conference crowns. Burkhardt finished her degree in Applied Exercise and Health in December 2015 after taking the summer off to play her first season of professional softball with the Dallas Charge.