Feb. 24, 2011

CHICAGO - Nicole Pauly, a graduate assistant softball coach at Loyola University Chicago, has signed a contract to continue her professional playing career with the Akron Racers of National Professional Fastpitch (NPF). In her first year as a graduate assistant at Loyola, Pauly, a Palatine, Ill., native, was a standout player at Northwestern University and played for the Chicago Bandits last summer.

"Chicago gave me a great start to my NPF career and I am excited about the opportunity that awaits me with Akron," Pauly said.

Playing for the Chicago Bandits last summer, Pauly, who will play second base for the Racers, batted .302 (13-for-43) with three doubles, a home run, eight RBI, a .362 on-base percentage and a .442 slugging percentage. At Northwestern, the slugger racked up 53 home runs, 168 RBI and a .604 slugging percentage in her four seasons, three times earning Academic All-Big Ten recognition.

Pauly, who will continue in her role as a graduate assistant coach at Loyola, opens up play with the Racers when the NPF seasons gets underway on June 9.

Loyola is off to a 2-3 start to the 2011 season and advanced to the championship game of the Best Western Marina Grand Invitational two weekends ago.