Iowa’s Megan Blank was named Big Ten Softball Player of the Week on Monday. The sophomore earned her first career weekly honor after her performance at the plate during Iowa’s 4-0 mark at the Easton Invitational this past weekend in Fullerton, Calif.

Blank, a native of Culver City, Calif., hit .429. She racked up 8 RBIs — notching at least 1 in each game — and scored 5 runs. Blank collected a multi-hit game against No. 24 Oregon State, finishing 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, 2 runs scored, and 4 RBIs. That 9-3 Iowa victory ended a 12-game winning-streak by the Beavers.

Blank was just the ninth player in Iowa history to earn first team All-Big Ten honors as a freshman last season. This week’s honor was the first for the Hawkeyes since catcher Liz Watkins earned the accolade on April 18, 2011.

“She has carried over from last year,” Iowa softball head coach Marla Looper said. “That is the challenge. They call the ‘sophomore slump’ the ‘sophomore slump’ for a reason; because people know you and they know how to throw to you. She did some work in the off-season with coach Stacy May Johnson, and on her own, to try to continue to build. When she relaxes and attacks the ball, she is tough to stop.”