ROCHELLE — Lady Hub freshman Jordin Dickey started her first high school softball season on the junior varsity team. She wasted no time ascending to the varsity team, however, and after establishing herself as one of the top players in the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference this spring, Dickey received All-Conference First Team recognition.

While she may not have played a full varsity season, Dickey produced every game as Rochelle’s starting center fielder. She hit .318 with a .384 on-base percentage and the second-highest OPS percentage (.853) on the team. Only teammate Hannah Luxton (.342) hit for a higher batting average, and just two players (Luxton and Maddi O’Rorke) held higher on-base percentages.

“I was really shocked when my name was called for the award and I was very honored because of all the good athletes in our conference,” Dickey said. “I knew it was going to be tough being a first-year varsity player and I had to give it my all. I really enjoyed having the girls by my side, and even though I was only a freshman, they didn’t treat me like a freshman. I enjoyed the coaches pushing me, and I enjoyed how much fun we had throughout the season.”

Dickey’s top performances this season included going 2-for-4 with a triple and one RBI when Rochelle defeated Oregon 15-3 on April 24. Dickey’s RBI double was a substantial difference maker in the IHSA Class 3A Regional at Dixon, where the Lady Hubs upset the Duchesses 2-1. Dickey recorded two hits across two games against the Ottawa Pirates and Kentucky softball recruit Sloan Gayan on May 4.

“I think I had a really good year at the plate, and seeing all the different pitchers in the conference made me a better hitter,” Dickey said. “I would love to improve more in the outfield, because in all of my years playing softball, I’ve played on the infield. I’m never satisfied with my hitting and I believe there’s always room for improvement.”

Dickey is one of several underclassmen looking to turn the Rochelle softball program after the Lady Hubs finished 6-23 this year. The girls will have some new opponents to play, as Rochelle will transition from the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference to the Interstate Eight Conference to start the 2019-20 school year.

“Even though our record didn’t show it, our team always had fun and we gave everything we had,” Dickey said. “I thought we performed well in a tough conference, and I think we have a lot of potential since we have a lot of good players coming up through the rest of my years. I’ve played with a lot of the girls in my class since I was 9 years old.”