Iowa State’s roster features one of the best hitters in the country: junior shortstop Sami Williams.

In her freshman season, Sami Williams earned a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team and All-Midwest Region First Team.

Last season, Sami Williams earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Second Team and a spot on the All-Midwest Region Third Team.

Now in her junior year, Sami Williams has continued to improve as this season has been Williams’ most successful hitting-wise in her three-year career at Iowa State.

In her leadoff spot in the batting order, Sami Williams leads the Cyclones in many batting statistics.

“Sami definitely sets the tone,” senior Sydney Stites said. 

Sami Williams leads the Cyclones in batting average with an average of .404, hits with 55, RBIs with 26, slugging percentage with a .787, total bases with 107, doubles with 15, walks with 16, runs scored with 34, stolen bases with eight and on-base percentage with .465.

“I believe great hitters are born, and Sami is one of them,” Iowa State head coach Jamie Pinkerton said. 

Along with leading the Cyclones in many statistical categories, Sami Williams is also in the top 10 among Big 12 players in many statistical categories.

Sami Williams is tied for ninth in stolen bases, eighth in runs, sixth in batting average, tied for fifth in triples and home runs, fifth in slugging percentage, fourth in hits, second in doubles and second in total bases in extra-base hits.

Nationally, Sami Williams is 83rd in batting average, 35th in slugging percentage, tied for 30th in hits, 18th in total bases and tied for 13th in doubles.

En route to her great batting numbers this season, Sami Williams has gone on some impressive hot streaks. From Feb. 24 to March 17, Sami Williams had a 16-game hitting streak.

“Sami is ruthless,” senior center fielder Taylor Nearad said. “I love playing with her because she’s so positive-minded, and she really helps the team.”

In a seven-game stretch from March 29 to April 7, Sami Williams hit six home runs, including a two home run outing in a 6-5 win against the then-15th ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders.

While Sami Williams is most known for her excellent hitting ability, Sami Williams has also improved her fielding percentage this season. Sami Williams has a fielding percentage of .943, which is an improvement from her sophomore season where she had a fielding percentage of .908.

In her three-year tenure at Iowa State, Sami Williams has hit 31 home runs (fourth in Cyclone history), has a batting average of .385 (second) and has 49 doubles. Her 49 doubles are the most hit by any Cyclone player of all time.

Williams, a Laguna Niguel, California, native, graduated from Dana Hills high school where she was a four-year starter and was named team MVP in her junior and senior seasons and earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team.

One of her three brothers, Luke Williams, is a minor league baseball player for the Reading Fightin’ Phils who are a Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team.

Luke Williams, a third baseman, was drafted in the third round of the MLB draft by the Phillies in 2015 and has moved up their farm system after the completion of each season.

Luke Williams is slightly older than Sami Williams, but they were both at the same high school, Dana Hills, at one point.

“We used to workout together with one of our track coaches,” Sami Williams said.

Despite their busy schedules, Sami and Luke Williams have found ways to keep in touch.

“We’re definitely close, every once in a while we check in with one another, and when we are both home we’ll talk about hitting and what not,” Sami Williams said. “I think that baseball and softball have really brought us closer, and it’s really been an important thing for me to have someone in my family whom I can to talk to about it and connect with on that level.”