#26 Abby Sweet 2020-21 Softball Roster

HONORS AND AWARDS:

2021 NFCA All-America Second Team
2021 Justin’s World of Softball All-America First Team
2021 USA Softball Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist
2021 NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region First Team
2021 ACC Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2021 All-ACC First Team
2021 Three-time ACC Player of the Week
2021 Team Captain
2020 Team Captain
2020 ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 25)
2020 ACC Honor Roll
2019 ACC All-Tournament Team
2019 Preseason All-ACC
2018 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team
2018 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team
2018 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic Team
2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll

AS A SENIOR (2021)

• Named an NFCA All-American (Second Team) for the first time in her career after leading the ACC in season batting average (.445 at season end).
• Sweet is the 20th Irish player in program history to earn All-American honors, and adds Notre Dame’s 29th All-American selection.
• Also a two-team captain, Sweet was a first-team All-ACC and first-team NFCA All-Region (Mid-Atlantic) selection this season. She was a Top 25 Finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year, as well as a three-time ACC Player of the Week in 2021 alone.
• Sweet was one of the nation’s best at the plate in 2021, leading the ACC with a .455 batting average for the season, which currently ranks 13th in the nation. She also leads the conference in doubles (18), ranking ninth nationally, and doubles-per-game (0.38). Her .547 on-base percentage ranks second in the conference and 19th in the country, while her 0.91 runs-per-game are second in the ACC.
• The senior made the most of her time in the batter’s box, as she was the second-toughest player to strike out in the ACC at a clip of 15.9 at-bats for every strikeout. In addition, Sweet ranks 11th in the nation with 0.40 hit-by-pitch per game, the second-highest rate in the conference. She holds the single game 2021 record among all NCAA Division I players with four HBP in one game (March 27 vs. NC State), which matches the all-time NCAA single-game record.
• Earned ACC co-Player of the Week honors for her performance at the Liberty Classic (Feb. 26-28), where she racked up a whopping 20 total bases, compiling nine hits, four doubles, two triples, a home run, two RBI and nine runs through a 4-1 go for Notre Dame. Also earning two HBP, Sweet led the Irish with a 1.176 slugging percentage. On the weekend, she posted a .529 batting average, second on the team only to junior outfielder Emma Clark (.600).
• Again was named ACC Player of the Week after a monster weekend vs. North Carolina. Sweet batted .714 and went 10-14 with 4 RBI, two home runs, three doubles, 19 total bases, two stolen bases and a 1.357 SLG %. She was especially dominant in the 13-0 win over the Tar Heels, going 5-5 with two home runs, two doubles and a stolen base. Her two home runs helped the Irish total four home runs in that game. As Notre Dame’s leadoff hitter, she helped the Irish to an explosive showing in the doubleheader Saturday, with a combined 17-0 score over North Carolina, totaling 28 hits while limiting the Tar Heels to just six on the day.
• Her third ACC Player of the Week honor came following her stint vs. Valparaiso and a home sweep of NC State. Sweet continued her dominance at the plate in the midweek vs. Valpo and the series sweep of NC State, batting .600 on the week. She totaled six hits, three runs, two doubles and four RBI on the week, adding a stolen base. She took a whopping six HBP in the doubleheader vs. NC State that Saturday. Four of the HBP came in one game, as Sweet was hit by a pitch every time she was at the plate that game. Her four HBP tied an all-time NCAA high, and were the single-most taken by a player in 2021. For the week, she earned a .750 on-base pct. and a .800 slugging pct.

AS A JUNIOR (2020)

• Named one of four captains for the Irish.
• Led the ACC as the toughest player in the conference to strike out (68 at-bats to 1 SO).
• Led the team in batting average (.368), runs (18), hits (25), RBI (21), slugging percentage (.603) and on-base percentage (.449) among eligible players.
• Started all five games of the NFCA Leadoff Classic at CF, slapping five hits for five runs, noting a double and a triple (both vs. South Alabama), and six RBI. Sweet also successfully stole a base on her only attempt, and recorded six putouts.
• Batted .364/.533/.727 in four starts at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with four hits, four RBIs, a home run and five runs scored.
• In six starts at the Mary Nutter Classic, logged a .500/.524/.850 slash line with ten hits, eight RBIs, six runs scored, four doubles, a home run and four stolen bases.
• Started three games at Duke and had three hits, two RBIs and a run scored.
• Had two hits with a double, and RBI and a run scored at NC State.
• Logged a hit, a stolen base and a .667 OBP in the win over UC Santa Barbara.

AS A SOPHOMORE (2019)

• Batted .327, starting all 55 games. She totaled 37 runs, 48 hits, 11 doubles, two triples, four homers, 26 RBI and 75 total bases.

AS A FRESHMAN (2018):

• Claimed NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Third-Team honors at the conclusion of standout freshman campaign.
• Tabbed to the All-ACC Third Team and the ACC All-Freshman Team.
• Named to the ACC All-Academic Team and the ACC Academic Honor Roll.
• Irish leader with 38 runs scored, 13 doubles, 83 total bases, a .420 on-base percentage and 15 stolen bases.
• Established a Notre Dame program record by being hit by pitch 22 times, shattering the previous mark of 15 set by Cassidy Whidden in 2015.
• Ranked second on the Irish roster with a .333 batting average, .485 slugging percentage and 57 hits.
• Batted .386 (22-for-57) with runners in scoring position, and ranked second on the team with 13 two-out RBI.
• Finished second on the Notre Dame roster with 13 multiple-hit games, and added five multi-RBI contests.
• Enjoyed a team-high 14-game streak of reaching base that spanned from March 4 against Robert Morris until March 28 against Purdue.
• Collected first two career hits in a victory over Saint Mary’s (Feb. 9).
• 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored against Fresno State (Feb. 11).
• Went 2-for-3 with a run scored against No. 12 Auburn (Feb. 22).
• Finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two RB, two stolen bases and a run scored in a win over Fordham (March 2).
• Connected on first career home run during a three-hit day, adding a stolen base, an RBI and two runs scored against UC Santa Barbara (March 3).
• 1-for-2 with a stolen base, an RBI and two runs scored in a win over Robert Morris (March 4).
• Ripped two hits and scored twice in a win over NC State (March 10) to open ACC play.
• Knocked in an RBI double as part of two hits with a run scored against North Florida (March 13).
• Scored twice, including the winning run in the top of the sixth inning, to defeat Jacksonville (March 14).
• Drove in two runs and scored an additional run in a game one victory at Louisville (March 16).
• Crossed the plate twice to complete the sweep of the Cardinals (March 18) in the final game of the set.
• Notched two RBI by way of a triple in a midweek win against Eastern Michigan (March 27).
• 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored to even ACC series at Virginia Tech (March 31).
• Rocked three hits, including a double, and drove in a run against Syracuse (April 8).
• Perfect 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in the nightcap of a doubleheader to sweep the Orange (April 8).
• 2-for-3 with a run scored in a nightcap win against Loyola (April 11).
• Scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning of an upset win over eventual NCAA champion No. 8 Florida State (April 29).
• Clocked two hits and scored a key run to knock off No. 17 Michigan (May 18) to open the NCAA Lexington Regional.
• Scored the opening run of a sixth-inning rally to eliminate the Wolverines from the NCAA tournament two days later (May 20).

PREP AND PERSONAL:

• Graduated in Spring 2021 with a degree in Management Consulting; aspires to work in the music industry in a business role.
• Will pursue a Master’s of Business Analytics in 2021-22.
• Twitter: @abbsweettt
• Instagram: @abbsweett
• Ranked 106th in the FloSoftball 2017 Second 100 rankings.
• Four-year softball letterwinner at Hart High School.
• Batted .415 with 12 doubles, five home runs, 29 RBI and 52 runs in only 33 games as a senior – 52 runs and 44 hits were both career-highs, along with 18 extra-base hits and a .544 on-base percentage.
• First team selection to the Los Angeles Daily News all-area squad, as well as all-CIF Division 3 and first team all-Foothill League.
• Named to the Los Angeles Daily News all-area honorable mention team and the CIF academic team after batting .350 as a junior, racking up three home runs, 13 doubles, 27 RBI, a .454 on-base percentage and 39 runs.
• Selected to the Cali-High Sports all-state second team and Foothill League first team during sophomore campaign, turning in a .461 batting average, 13 extra-base hits, 32 RBI, a .534 OBP and 33 runs.
• Claimed Foothill League second team accolades as a freshman by logging a .393 average, seven hits for extra bases, 11 RBI and 25 runs.
• Most recently competed with the So Cal Choppers on the club circuit, and finished in third place as a member of the Choppers at 2016 PGF Nationals.
• Was also part of the victorious Hart U10 Gold squad at 2009 ASA Nationals.
• Has earned high school honor scholar recognition.
• Daughter of Derek and Mary Beth Sweet and has one brother, Dylan, and one sister, Tenley.
• Former So Cal Choppers teammate of Notre Dame pitcher Cait Brooks.
• Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business.