Feb. 20, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame junior catcher Joe Hudson (Odessa, Fla./Tampa Jesuit) has been selected as the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week, it was announced Monday by the conference office.
Hudson stared all three games this weekend behind the plate and helped the Irish to a pair of victories at the Big 10/BIG EAST Challenge. He batted .700 (7-for-10) with three doubles, two home runs and seven RBI. Hudson added three runs scored, three walks and three hit by pitches. He posted a slugging percentage of 1.600 and an on-base percentage of .813. Hudson reached based in 13 of his 16 plate appearances.
Hudson not only equaled the tournament record for batting average, but he also set records for single-game total bases (11 in the victory over Illinois), single-tournament total bases (16) and single-tournament slugging percentage (1.600). Hudson also tied tournament records for single-game home runs, single-game doubles and single-tournament home runs.
Hudson, who had just nine multi-hit and five multi-RBI games in 2010, has already registered three and two, respectively, in 2012. If his prowess at the plate was not enough, Hudson was dynamic behind the dish as well. He gunned down two of the three attempted base stealers over the weekend.
In the season-opening victory over defending Big Ten tournament champion Illinois, Hudson went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs and seven RBI, including the a solo home run in the 8th inning that broke up a 12-12 tie and ultimately gave the Irish a 13-12 victory over the Illini. He was the first Irish player to ever hit multiple home runs in a season opener. Hudson also was the first Irish player with a multi-home run game since Brayden Ashdown had two against St. John’s on April 30, 2010.
Hudson is the first Notre Dame player to be named BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week since Casey Martin on Feb. 22, 2010 – ironically enough also following the opening week of the season.
The Irish return to the diamond at 12:05 p.m. ET on Sat., Feb. 25 at the Team USA Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C., when they face Hofstra for a three-game series.
— ND —