DENVER – Reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year Nikki Butler earned her first WAC Player of the Week award this season, the league announced Monday.
 
The senior helped the Aggies outscore their opponents at the UTEP Invitational 46-13 in four games. She recorded six hits, drove in nine runs and slashed .600/.714/1.600. Butler also smashed three home runs, going yard in three of the Aggies four games in El Paso.
 
Butler, who was picked to repeat as WAC Player of the Year prior to the start of the season, has enjoyed a stellar season so far. She leads the WAC in batting average (.545), slugging (1.167), on base percentage (.625) and RBI (18) and is tied with teammate Matalasi Faapito for the league lead in home runs (6).
 
New Mexico State returns to the diamond in Las Vegas for the Boyd Gaming Classic from Feb. 28-March 1. The Aggies will take on Houston, UNLV and UTEP.