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Diller, Mexicano named All-Region
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Shanna Diller needs five home runs next year to tie Jenna Hall for Illinois' career home run record.
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May 16, 2007
Urbana, Ill. -
All Great Lakes Region Team in PDF Format
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Juniors third baseman Shanna Diller and shortstop Angelena Mexicano were named Second Team All-Great Lakes Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
Diller and Mexicano each hit 16 home runs on the year, which established a new Illinois record, and ranked 24th nationally in home runs per game. The Illini led the nation in home runs at 1.53 per game, while also ranking sixth in slugging percentage (.521) and ninth in runs scored (6.11) per contest.
For Diller this is another in a series of accolades. She was an Academic All-Big Ten, Academic All-District and Third Team All-Big Ten selection while also earning the team's Scholar-Athlete and Gold Glove Award. Diller was also among the nation's leaders in runs scored (34th, 0.95), walks (93rd, 0.53) and RBI (99th, 0.82) per game. and batted .303 with eight doubles, 45 RBI and a .623 slugging percentage. She is second on Illinois' career home runs list with 28, five off the record set by Jenna Hall, and ranks second, third and sixth, respectively, in career slugging percentage (.519), on-base percentage (.393) and batting average (.301)
Mexicano claimed the team's Igniter Award at the team's post-season banquet after establishing a school record for runs scored (56), a mark that ranks 18th nationally. After leading the Big Ten in RBI in 2006, Mexicano took on a new role as the leadoff hitter. That didn't stop her power numbers. She batted .324 with 13 doubles, two triples and a .676 slugging percentage, which is 71st in the nation. Despite batting leadoff, she tallied 35 RBI while staying perfect (13-for-13) in stolen bases. Mexicano was named Big Ten Player-of-the-Week after hitting four home runs at the Capital Classic. She hit two home runs before there was an out recorded in a 16-run first inning vs. Sacramento State on March 18.
