WINTHROP, Mass. – Simmons College's Juliet Nelson (Cumberland, R.I.) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Softball Rookie of the Week for the week of March 23-29, it was announced today by the league. 

The first year was impressive at both the plate and from the pitching circle for the Sharks in a GNAC double-header over the weekend. The rookie played first base in the first game and pitched and batted in the second game at Rivier University on March 29 in the team's only games of the week. Nelson batted .500 (3-6) with a robust .833 slugging percentage to go with a .571 on-base percentage, while knocking in three runs, scoring three times, rapping a triple and drawing a walk. She also handled all 10 chances in the field without an error. A graduate of Cumberland High School, Nelson went 1-3 with a walk and an RBI in the day's first game, before capping the twinbill by going 2-3 with a pair of runs batted in, two runs scored and a triple. The right-hander also earned her first collegiate victory from the pitching circle in game two with a complete-game seven inning showing, allowing seven runs (two earned), while scattering 11 hits and issuing just one free pass to go with four strike outs. 

Nelson has started eight of nine games that she's appeared in for Simmons, including four as a starting pitcher. The first year is batting .211 (4-19) on the season, but is enjoying a three-game hitting streak that has her batting .571 (4-7) during the stretch. She is slugging .368 on the season and owns a .286 on-base mark to go with three RBI, three runs scored and a pair of walks, while leading the team with three sacrifice hits and placing fourth in the league. From the pitching circle, Nelson has walked just three batters in 24 2/3 innings pitched, while posting a solid 2.84 ERA to rank 12^th among league leaders to go with five strike outs. Her walk total is the lowest among any pitcher in the league with at least 15 innings pitched. 

The Sharks are currently 5-6 on the season and 2-0 in GNAC play and will be in action again on Wednesday, April 1 when they take on neighbor and league rival Emmanuel College at 6:30 p.m. for a double-header.