Freshman Aubrey Quern earns NSIC Pitcher of the Week for Jimmies

Aubrey Quern’s two shutouts turned a strong week into conference recognition for the Jamestown Jimmies. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference named the freshman left-hander its softball pitcher of the week for the week ending April 12 after she went 3-0 in 19.2 innings with a 0.71 ERA.

Quern, a 5-foot-7 pitcher from Cokato, Minnesota, and Dassel-Cokato High School, struck out 21 batters and walked only four while holding opponents to a .197 average. One of her shutouts came against Northern State, where she threw a one-hit gem. In a 16-team NCAA Division II league that stretches across Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, that kind of week stands out quickly.

The numbers also show this was more than a one-game burst. Quern had already helped Jamestown win at Minnesota State Moorhead on April 3, working seven innings in a 5-1 victory and allowing one earned run. A week later, she earned another win in a 1-0 victory over Minnesota Duluth on April 12, a result that underscored how little room opponents had to work with when she was in the circle.

For Jamestown, the award points to more than individual success. A freshman pitcher handling three wins, including two shutouts, gives the Jimmies a reliable arm in a conference season where every weekend matters. The team entered the stretch at 22-13 overall and 3-9 in NSIC play after splitting with Minnesota Crookston, so Quern’s emergence offered both a boost in the standings and a sign of stability for the pitching staff.

Her rise has also become part of the spring story around Jamestown. The Jimmies had already seen Quern contribute in relief earlier in the season, and now she has moved into the spotlight as one of the program’s most important young pieces. For a team trying to climb in conference play, a freshman who can work deep into games, miss bats and limit walks gives Jamestown a foundation it can keep building on as the season moves deeper into April.