Emily Allard
Emily Allard represented Deer Valley High softball well in 2009 when becoming the Wolverine’s first Under Armour All-American and First-Team All-State pitcher, and again in 2014, when drafted by the National Fastpitch (NFP) Chicago Bandits. In Emily’s junior season, the 6 foot and speedy pitcher/infielder had a 0.69 ERA, 144 strikeouts, a .513 BA, and a perfect 25 for 25 in steal attempts and was honored as the 2008 Bay Valley Athletic League (BVAL) MVP. In her four year varsity career, Emily had 444 strikeouts, batted .362, and was 43 of 48 in steal attempts, and was selected to the First Team All-BVAL three times. Excelling in her studies, she was a four year honor roll student, and was recognized as a North Coast Section Scholar Athlete. In the off season, Emily played basketball and averaged 12.8 PPG, and amazingly was picked the 2008 BVAL MVP, for a second sport in the same year.
The athletic and academic honors continued at NCAA Division 1 Northwestern University (NU) as Emily started at short stop and center field during her four seasons (2010-2014) for the Wildcats. She was selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s (NFCA) All-Great Lakes Region’s Team three times and to the All-Big Ten Academic Team and Big-Ten Conference teams four times. As a sophomore in 2011, Emily would rewrite NU’s single season records. Her .491 batting average and five hits against UC Davis are still an all-time single season record, while her 45 base steals a runner-up. All garnering Emily a Top-25 Finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year Award and awarded the NFCA Golden Shoes Award as the nation’s top base stealer. After sustaining a season ending injury in 2013, Emily focused on her studies and was selected to the NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and Big-Ten Academic Teams. Emily currently holds the Wildcat’s and, the Big-Ten’s all-time career stolen base record with 154, and places her 19th in the NCAA. Her 761 at bats ranks her at the top of NU’s leader board while her career batting average of .402 and 306 hits are solid seconds.
On March 31, 2014, Emily would make Antioch sports history by being named the 12th overall pick in the NFP College Draft by the Chicago Bandits and become our second professional softball player, after Jackie Wong (2007). Emily’s first professional game was, May 31, 2014 against the Akron Racers, where she went 2 for 3. As a Rookie, her league leading 35 runs and 57 hits earned a spot on the 2014 All-NPF Team. In her second year, Emily’s league leading 12 steals earned the Rally Spikes Award for the most stolen bases and her 46 hits, second in the league, contributed to the Bandits winning the 2015 NFP Cowles Cup Championship Trophy. After battling injuries during the 2016 and 2017 seasons Emily retired from the Diamond, with a .350 career batting average. Receiving a Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications in 2014, Emily is now the Marketing & Sponsorship Specialist for the Fastpitch Coaches Association and resides in Louisville, Kentucky.
Photo by Tim Bimmerle