Northwestern Baseball’s Jackson Freeman Wins Big Ten Player of the Week
The Northwestern Wildcats did not just open their 2026 season this past weekend. They announced their presence with an offensive landslide. At the heart of that surge was junior outfielder Jackson Freeman. It is because his historic performance at the plate has earned him the first Big Ten Player of the Week honor of the new season.
The Numbers Behind Jackson Freeman’s Big Ten Player of the Week Award
Announced by the Big Ten Conference on Monday, Feb. 16, the award marks a significant milestone for the program. Freeman is the first Wildcat to take home the weekly offensive honor since Ryan Kucherak did so on May 12, 2025. For Freeman, the recognition is a testament to an opening series against the Rice Owls. That particular game looked more like a video game stat line than a standard box score.
Big Ten Player of the Week 🏅
— Northwestern Baseball (@NUCatsBaseball) February 16, 2026
Jackson Freeman had himself a weekend, earning @B1GBaseball Player of the Week honors! pic.twitter.com/D5hfnBNlVU
Freeman’s weekend in Houston was defined by pure, unadulterated power. Over the three-game stretch at Reckling Park, he did not just lead the Wildcats. He set the pace for the entire conference. Freeman finished the series with a Big Ten-best 1.417 slugging percentage. It is a number fueled by his ability to find the gaps and clear the fences with startling regularity.
The stat line tells the story. Freeman hit .667, going 8-for-12 at the plate. He posted a .692 on-base percentage and racked up 17 total bases. He blasted three home runs, drove in five RBI, and crossed the plate seven times. Those are not just good numbers. They are dominant numbers.
Every time Freeman stepped into the batter’s box, something loud seemed to happen. Line drives. Deep fly balls. Walks that set the table. The Rice pitching staff had few answers.
While the Wildcats dropped a tight doubleheader on Friday, they closed the weekend by making a massive statement. In a 17-6 run-rule victory on Sunday, Freeman was essentially untouchable. The Ladera Ranch, California, native went 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run and a walk, accounting for four runs scored and three RBI.
The team’s 17 runs were the most scored by Northwestern in a single game since their 17-2 demolition of the Ohio State Buckeyes on May 11, 2025. Perhaps more impressively, the 25 total runs Northwestern put up across the three games marked the program’s highest-scoring season-opening series since 2008.
Freeman’s third home run of the weekend traveled deep to center field. He broke the game open and restored a comfortable cushion for the Wildcat pitching staff. It was the kind of swing that changes momentum and energizes a dugout.
The signs of a breakout were there from the very first pitch of the season. During Friday’s opener, Freeman delivered his first multi-homer game of the year and the second of his career. He finished 3 for 4 with two home runs, two RBI, and three runs scored.
Why This Big Ten Honor Matters for Northwestern Baseball
In 2024, he earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after setting the program record for home runs by a first-year player with 11. He started all 52 games that season, leading the team in home runs, RBI with 39, and triples with three.
His sophomore campaign in 2025 continued that steady climb. Freeman again started all 52 games, finishing second on the team in RBI with 40 and third in doubles with 14. Along the way, he delivered high-impact moments. That includes an eight-RBI performance at Maryland and a grand slam against Illinois.
Freeman’s career highs read like a scouting report of a player who thrives in big moments. He has recorded six at-bats in a game twice, most recently at Michigan State on April 11, 2025. He collected four hits in a game against UTSA on March 16, 2024. He has scored three runs in a game six times, most recently against Ohio State on May 11, 2025.
His eight-RBI explosion at Maryland on March 29, 2025 stands as a career benchmark. He has hit two home runs in a game against Nebraska on March 31, 2024. He has tallied eight total bases in a game twice, most recently at Maryland. He has drawn two walks in a game nine times, most recently against Ohio State. He has also stolen a base six times, most recently at UIC on April 22, 2025.
As the Wildcats shift their focus to a four-game road trip to Spartanburg, South Carolina, the momentum from Freeman’s award-winning weekend cannot be overstated. With 25 runs in three games, the Northwestern offense has shown it can compete with anyone.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.