Contact: Sam Fretto, Athletics Communication Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (May 5, 2026)- In the final rounds of College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Player of the Week awards, Juliana Maude of the North Central College softball team has been named the pitcher of the week for her efforts in the week of April 27 to May 3. The CCIW announced the player of the week recipients on Monday at 3 p.m. The award marks the third time this season softball has been honored with a CCIW Player of the Week award. 

Maude pitched in one game this past week, facing Augustana College on April 29, leading the Cardinals to a 4-0 victory behind a complete-game shutout. The win helped North Central clinch the four seed in the CCIW Tournament, held later this week at Inspiration Field. Maude shut down the high-powered Vikings' offense, as they rank third in the conference in total runs scored. She struck out five batters across seven innings pitched and had a WHIP of 1.000. Maude picked up win number eight on the season and lowered her ERA to 2.48 and increased her season strikeout total to 103, which ranks her 64th in the country. This is Maude's second time being named the CCIW Pitcher of the Week in her career. 

The Cardinals clinched a spot in the CCIW Tournament and have a doubleheader tune-up scheduled for tomorrow on Tuesday, May 5, hosting Concordia University Chicago at Shanower Family Field with first pitch set for 3 p.m.