Cayla Nielsen Earns Unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team Nod, Kailey Wilson Listed on Second Team

OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton softball junior outfielder Cayla Nielsen was named a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection, while graduate infielder Kailey Wilson claimed All-BIG EAST Second Team honors, the league announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Nielsen earns her first all-conference honor after start each of Creighton's 24 conference games in the lead-off position. The junior paced the Bluejays and ranked fifth in the BIG EAST with a .400 batting average, while recording the second most hits in the league with 34, which included 11 multiple-hit games. Nielsen's eight home runs during league play were also tied for the BIG EAST lead, as she accumulated a .741 slugging percentage, the fifth best mark in the BIG EAST this season.

Overall, Nielsen led Creighton with a .395 batting average and a .650 slugging percentage, while also pacing the Bluejays with 62 hits, 43 runs scored and six stolen bases. Her 62 hits this season are the most by a Bluejay since joining the BIG EAST and the most since Ellen Homan recorded 67 hits during the 2012 season. She also ranked second in doubles with 11, second in walks with 24 and third in home runs with nine. Nielsen reached base safely in 45 of the 52 games she played in this season, recording a .486 on-base percentage, a mark that ranks sixth best in a single season in Creighton history.

The Blair, Nebraska native is just the eight Bluejay to earn All-BIG EAST First Team honors since Creighton joined the league prior to the 2014 season. Nielsen currently ranks eighth on Creighton's career batting average list with a .329 mark during her four seasons as a Bluejay (142 hits).

Wilson's All-BIG EAST Second Team honor marks her third all-conference accolade as the Aurora, Colo. native was also named a Unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection in both 2021 and 2022. Wilson is the 17^th Bluejay in program history to earn all-conference honors at least three times in her career.

The graduate student paced the Bluejays with a .460 on-base percentage during league games after drawing a team-high 13 walks. Wilson started all 24 games of Creighton's conference games, posting a.356 batting average with 26 hits, including a team-high six doubles. She also ranked second on the team with five home runs and 19 RBI while posting a .644 slugging percentage. Wilson recorded seven multi-hit games and six multi-RBI games in league play while reaching base safely in 23 of the 24 league contests.

Overall, Wilson hit .315 while leading the Bluejays with 12 doubles, 11 home runs, 32 walks and 39 RBI. Her 32 walks this season were tied for the sixth most walks in a single season in school history. Wilson recorded 47 hits over the course of 51 games, which included 12 multi-hit games and 12 multi-RBI contests.

Wilson wrapped up her career with the Bluejays ranked fifth in school history with a .353 career batting average. She also finishes ranked fourth in career walks with 94, fourth in career RBI with 125, tied for fourth in career home runs with 37, tied for seventh in career doubles with 35 and seventh in career total bases with 316.

Creighton ended the 2023 season with a 22-31 overall record, including an 6-18 mark in league play during head coach Krista Wood's first season with the Bluejays.

Both the All-BIG EAST First and Second Teams consisted of 12 players made up of two pitchers, with the remaining spots selected at-large. All-BIG EAST Teams and major awards were selected via a vote of the league's head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own players or coaching staffs.

Villanova's Tess Cites claimed BIG EAST Player of the Year Honors, Seton Hall's Kelsey Carr earned BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year status, Seton Hall's Abby Wingo garnered BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Connecticut's Grace Jenkins was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year. Seton Hall also received BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year recognition.

2023 BIG EAST Softball Awards
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Tess Cites, Villanova, Jr., CF

BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year
Kelsey Carr, Seton Hall, Jr.

BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Abby Wingo, Seton Hall, Sr., OF

BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Grace Jenkins, Connecticut, Fr., C

BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year
Seton Hall

All-BIG EAST First Team
Kelsey Carr, Jr, P/INF, Seton Hall*
Sydney Carter, So., INF, Butler*
Tess Cites, Jr., OF, Villanova*
Ava Franz, So., INF, Villanova
Lexi Hastings, So., OF, Connecticut*
Brooke Johnson, Sr., 1B, DePaul
Payton Kinney, Jr., P, Connecticut
Cameron Kondo, Gr., OF, Georgetown*
Cayla Nielsen, Jr., OF, Creighton*
Shelby Smith, Sr., P, Seton Hall
Abby Wingo, Sr., OF, Seton Hall
Anna Wohlers, So., 3B, DePaul*

All-BIG EAST Second Team
Paige Dorsett, R-So., INF, Butler
Mae Forshey, Gr., INF/C, Georgetown
Kat Gallant, Fr., P, Villanova
Mackenzie Griman, Sr., P/INF, Butler
Jacque Harrington, Jr., INF/UT, Providence
Ryan Henry, Gr., C/DP, Villanova
Ally Jones, Sr., C, Villanova
Aziah James, Gr., OF, Connecticut
Grace Jenkins, Fr., C, Connecticut
Cate Lehner, Fr., OF, Butler
Victoria Sebastian, Sr., 1B, Villanova
Kailey Wilson, Gr., INF, Creighton

*Unanimous Selection

Cayla Nielsen Earns Unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team Nod, Kailey Wilson Listed on Second Team

Players Mentioned

Cayla Nielsen

Kailey Wilson

Related Videos