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Six Illini Earn All-Big Ten Honors
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Illinois' 2009 All-Big Ten honorees pose in front of Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. Front (l-r): Brandon Wikoff (1st), Dominic Altobelli (1st), Pete Cappetta (2nd). Back: Will Strack (3rd), Aaron Johnson (3rd), Willie Argo (3rd).
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May 19, 2009
PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Six Illinois baseball players earned All-Big Ten honors, with third baseman Dominic Altobelli (Oak Forest, Ill.) and shortstop Brandon Wikoff (Peoria, Ill.) leading the way by earning first-team honors, the most Illini to earn first-team honors since five Illinois players were named to the first team in 2005. In addition, right fielder Pete Cappetta (Lisle, Ill.) was named to the All-Big Ten second team, while catcher Aaron Johnson (Sussex Corner, New Brunswick), outfielder Willie Argo (Davenport, Iowa) and starting pitcher Will Strack (Sycamore, Ill.) earned third-team honors. Argo and Strack also were named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. The six Illini earning All-Big Ten honors mark the most since Illinois had eight players earn All-Big Ten honors in 2005.
Altobelli has had a stellar senior season, leading the Illini with a .379 average and 52 RBIs while also scoring 53 runs, hitting eight home runs, 15 doubles and three triples for a .597 slugging percentage and reaching base at a .450 clip. He also has stolen 7-of-11 bases and is hitting .489 in Illinois' last 21 games. He ranks in the top 10 in the conference in average, slugging, OBP, hits, runs, RBIs, doubles, triples, total bases and HBP.
Wikoff ranks second on the Illini squad with a .375 average while leading Illinois and the Big Ten with 81 hits. He also has scored a team-best 54 runs and has a team-high 16 doubles, driving in 38 runs, hitting a career-high four homers and five triples for a .551 slugging percentage and a .432 on-base percentage with 10 steals in 13 attempts. Wikoff also is the second-toughest hitter to strike out in the nation, with only six strikeouts in 216 at bats, and hit for the cycle on April 7, becoming the first Illini to do so since 1990. He ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in average, runs, hits, doubles, triples, total bases, defensive assists and fielding double plays. He was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on May 4, the CollegeBaseballInsider.com's National Player of the Week on May 6 and to the College Baseball Foundation's National All-Star Lineup on May 6.
Cappetta has burst onto the Big Ten scene as a sophomore, hitting .364 - third-best on the team - with 51 hits in 44 games, two home runs, three triples, seven doubles, 25 RBIs and 32 runs. He has a team-best .462 on-base percentage, a .500 slugging percentage and has played a flawless right field with five outfield assists. Cappetta also ranks fifth in the Big Ten in OBP and earned honorable mention on the All-Big East/Big Ten Challenge all-tournament team.
Johnson has been a rock behind the plate and a force offensively in his second season in Champaign, hitting .328 with nine home runs, seven doubles, 49 RBIs and 35 runs with a .514 slugging percentage and a .413 on-base percentage. He has stolen 5-of-8 bases and has caught 36 percent of runners stealing against him, fourth-most in the Big Ten. Johnson was named to the Johnny Bench Award watch list on May 4 and was the March 9 Big Ten Player of the Week after leading the Illini to a series win at No. 1 LSU.
Argo has drawn national attention in his rookie campaign, as he was named to Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd after hitting three home runs in his collegiate debut at No. 1 LSU on March 7. He has 56 hits and 45 RBIs in 44 games, with a team-best 11 home runs, two triples and 10 doubles for a team-leading .640 slugging percentage, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. He has a .412 OBP and has stolen 10-of-14 bases. In Big Ten games, he ranked in the top 10 in slugging, runs, RBIs, doubles, home runs and total bases. He earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors on April 27.
Strack has quietly produced in multiple roles for the Illini, serving as a midweek starter and a member of the weekend rotation, pitching in long relief and also closing games. He is 6-0 - tying the Illinois record for wins by a freshman - with a 3.48 ERA and two saves, and pitched a two-hit shutout against Michigan State on March 29. He's allowed only 67 hits in 62 innings while walking 15 and striking out 18 with a .282 opponent batting average. He ranks in the top 10 in the Big Ten in ERA, hits allowed, runs allowed, earned runs allowed and walks allowed. He also earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors on March 30.
Fourth-seeded Illinois will face fifth-seeded Michigan State in the opening game of the 2009 Big Ten Tournament at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio. The game will begin at 11:05 a.m. (CT) on Wednesday, May 20, and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network and WDWS AM-1400.
ALL-BIG TEN BASEBALL TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
1B - Mike Dufek, MICH
2B - Derek McCallum, MINN#
SS - Brandon Wikoff, ILL
3B - Dominic Altobelli, ILL
OF - Kipp Schutz, IND
OF - Ryan Durant, IOWA
OF - Brandon Haveman, PUR#
C - Josh Phegley, IND*
C - Dan Burkhart, OSU*
DH - Ryan Dew, OSU
SP - Eric Arnett, IND#
SP - Chris Fetter, MICH
SP - Alex Wimmers, OSU#
RP - Jake Hale, OSU
SECOND TEAM**
1B - Jerrud Sabourin, IND
2B - Cory Kovanda, OSU
SS - AJ Pettersen, MINN
3B - Justin Miller, OSU
OF - Pete Cappetta, ILL
OF - Ryan LaMarre, MICH
OF - Michael Stephens, OSU
DH - Alex Dickerson, IND
SP - Matt Bashore, IND
SP - Seth Rosin, MINN
SP - Dean Wolosiansky, OSU
RP - Scott Matyas, MINN
THIRD TEAM
1B - John Cummins, PUR
2B - Eric Charles, PUR
SS - Justin Toole, IOWA
3B - Jordan Steranka, PSU
OF - Willie Argo, ILL
OF - Mike Kvasnicka, MINN
OF - Alex Jaffee, PUR
C - Aaron Johnson, ILL
DH - Matt Nohelty, MINN
SP - Will Strack, ILL
SP - Tom Buske, MINN
SP - Matt Bischoff, PUR
RP - Chris Squires, IND*
RP - Ryan Ignas, PSU*
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
1B - Nick O'Shea, MINN
2B - Eric Charles, PUR
SS - AJ Pettersen, MINN#
3B - Jordan Steranka, PSU#
OF - Willie Argo, ILL#
OF - Justin Gominsky, MINN#
OF - Tyler Spillner, PUR
C - Dallas Burke, IOWA#
DH - Alex Dickerson, IND#
SP - Will Strack, ILL
SP - Blake Monar, IND#
SP - Tony Bucciferro, MSU
RP - Austin Lubinsky, MINN
BIG TEN INDIVIDUAL HONORS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dan Burkhart, OSU
CO-PITCHERS OF THE YEAR
Eric Arnett, IND
Alex Wimmers, OSU
FRESHMAN OF THE YER
Alex Dickerson, IND
COACH OF THE YEAR
Bob Todd, OSU#
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Dominic Altobelli, Illinois
Jerrud Sabourin, Indiana
Justin Toole, Iowa
Kenny Fellows, Michigan
Nolan Moody, Michigan State
Matt Nohelty, Minnesota
Jake Wilson, Northwestern
Cory Kovanda, Ohio State
Ryan Boonie, Penn State
John Cummins, Purdue
# - Unanimous selection
* - Additional honorees due to tie
** - Fewer selections due to additional selections on first team
