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Career Honors & Awards
- Team Co-Captain (2013)
- Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award (2013)
- Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2011, 2012; Spring 2012)
Career Capsule
Mattie Fowler started every game as a freshman last season, one of only three Huskers to start all 55 contests. She was Nebraska’s primary starting shortstop, starting the final 49 games at the position after opening the year as the Huskers’ starting third baseman. Fowler underwent knee surgery last August and is still recovering from the injury, although she hopes to be available for action early in the year. When healthy, Fowler could also move to first base this season, as NU attempts to make room for three talented freshmen infielders, all of whom could start this year. The coaches expect Fowler to be in the lineup if healthy, and they feel her presence at first base could give NU its best defensive infield.
Fowler had an impressive debut season, settling in nicely and producing several clutch at bats. She produced 11 extra-base hits as a freshman, including five home runs, a total that tied for third on the team. Fowler also drove in the game-winning run for NU in five of its 14 Big Ten Conference victories. Showing poise beyond her years, the 2013 co-captain produced 11 of her 27 RBIs with two outs, and she drove in the winning run in two of the Huskers’ three extra-innings victories in 2012, while scoring the winning run in the third.
Freshman Season [2012]
Fowler made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2012, starting all 55 games for the Huskers. One of only three players to start every game for NU in 2012 – and the only underclassmen – Fowler began the year as the starting third baseman before moving to shortstop. She started the final 49 games at short and made five starts at third base and one early-season start in the circle, before focusing exclusively on her hitting and defense.
Fowler improved throughout her freshman season and finished with a .248 batting average that included five doubles, one triple, five home runs and 27 RBIs. She recorded eight multi-hit games and six multi-RBI efforts, proving to be a clutch hitter despite her freshman status. Fowler produced five game-winning hits in her rookie campaign, including driving in the game-winning run in five of Nebraska’s 14 Big Ten Conference victories. Fowler was especially clutch in the eighth inning, leading the Huskers to a perfect 3-0 record in extra-inning contests. She lifted Nebraska to a pair of one-run, eight-inning victories at Minnesota and Ohio State by producing an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning in both wins. In Nebraska’s other extra-inning win at UNO, Fowler singled and scored the game-winning run in the Huskers’ 1-0 eight-inning victory. On the year, Fowler hit .011 higher with runners in scoring position, and she produced 11 of her 27 RBIs with two outs.
After earning Arizona Gatorade Player-of-the-Year honors in her senior season of high school, Fowler’s college career got off to a slow start in her opening weekend as she dealt with a position change, while also taking on a pitching role. After settling in at her natural position of shortstop and focusing only on that position, Fowler flourished in the second weekend of her career. In five games in New Mexico, Fowler went 7-for-15 with three doubles, a home run, two walks, four runs scored and eight RBIs. She excelled in two games against 2011 NCAA Tournament qualifier New Mexico State, finishing 5-for-6 with three doubles, a home run, six RBIs and four runs scored in two games against the Aggies. In the final game of the weekend, Fowler went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a home run and four RBIs against NMSU. She established careers highs in hits, RBIs, runs scored and doubles in that game, while her home run was a walk-off, three-run shot that wrapped up Nebraska’s 10-2, five-inning run-rule victory.
Defensively, Fowler posted a .921 fielding percentage, committing 13 errors. She also made one appearance in the circle, starting against Idaho State in the third game of the season, allowing four runs on four hits in 2.0 innings. She walked four and struck out two, but did not factor into the decision as NU run-ruled the Bengals, 12-4 in five innings.
Before Nebraska
Fowler was selected as the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Arizona following her senior season at Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson, Ariz., when she was also one of 10 national finalists for the MaxPreps National Player-of-the-Year award, in addition to earning first-team All-America honors from the organization. Fowler was also one of 30 players nationally selected to participate in the Under Armour All-America game.
Fowler was a four-year starter for the Dorados, coached by her mother Kelly. Mattie helped lead Canyon del Oro to three state championships in her four-year career. She was a four-time all-conference performer and a three-time all-state selection. In her final season, Fowler was named a unanimous first-team all-state selection and was named the state’s player of the year by several outlets.
As a senior, Fowler did it all for Canyon del Oro, which finished its state championship season with a 36-1 record and a No. 2 national ranking. In her fourth season as the starting shortstop, Fowler batted .569 with 17 home runs, 22 doubles, 49 runs scored and 91 RBIs in only 37 games. The 91 RBIs were a state record and the 17 home runs and 22 doubles were both school records, as Fowler ended her career as the Dorados’ all-time leader in doubles, home runs and RBIs. According to reported statistics from MaxPreps, Fowler led all high school players nationally in RBIs and ranked ninth in home runs.
Fowler also pitched for Canyon del Oro in her senior season, stepping into the circle for the first time since middle school. She posted a 14-0 record on the season with a 0.85 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 82.0 innings.
As a junior, Fowler batted .490 (51-for-104) while leading the Dorados to a 25-7 record and an appearance in the state semifinals. Nearly half of her hits went for extra bases, as she set a then-school record with 17 doubles. Fowler also added one triple, three home runs, 38 RBIs, 26 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.
Fowler started as both a freshman and a sophomore on back-to-back Class 4A state championships. She was a second-team all-state selection as a sophomore.
Fowler was also a standout in the classroom and in the community. She was a state finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award and ranked in the top five percent of her graduating class of nearly 500 students. In addition to volunteering in the community, Fowler served her school as vice president of the Interscholastic Leadership Council, while also being a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club.
Fowler played her club softball for the AZ Desert Thunder, coached by her parents. The Desert Thunder placed in the top 25 at the ASA Gold National Championship every year from 2006 to 2011, including two top-10 finishes.
Fowler also played volleyball and golf in high school, earning honorable-mention all-state honors at outside hitter her junior season.
Personal
Mattie Leigh Fowler is the daughter of Lance and Kelly Fowler and was born on March 25, 1993, in Tucson, Ariz. Mattie’s sister Kenzie is a two-time senior All-America pitcher for the Arizona Wildcats, while Mattie’s parents both coached her travel team, the AZ Desert Thunder, and her mother coached her high school team. Mattie has not declared a major.
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Year
|
Avg.
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GP-GS
|
AB
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R
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H
|
2B
|
3B
|
HR
|
RBI
|
BB
|
SO
|
OB%
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SLG%
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SB-ATT
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FLD%
|
|
2012
|
.248
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55-55
|
161
|
20
|
40
|
5
|
1
|
5
|
27
|
8
|
14
|
.281
|
.385
|
3-3
|
.921
|
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