SouthtownStar Athletes on Campus: Hannagan heads Southland-flavored All-CCAC squad
By Mike Walsh For Sun-Times Media June 22, 2012 9:10PM
Katie Hannagan, a Crete-Monee graduate, pitches for Olivet Nazarene. | Supplied Photo
Updated: July 25, 2012 6:15AM
Olivet Nazarene University’s Katie Hannagan was chosen 2012 Co-Pitcher of the Year in softball by the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Hannagan, who prepped at Crete-Monee, was 23-5 this season with a 2.09 ERA. The senior made 34 appearances (24 starts). The Monee resident recorded 16 complete games, to go along with five shutouts and two saves.
In 194 innings, Hannagan struck out 87 and walked 42 as the Tigers finished 54-9 overall and 18-1 in the CCAC.
Other Southland residents joining Hannagan on the All-CCAC First Team were Robert Morris infielder Arianna Challenger (Lemont), who led the Eagles with a .400 batting average; Olivet Nazarene infielder Hannah Gardner (Providence), who batted .429 with 18 home runs, 80 RBI and 70 runs; and St. Francis infielder Kaley Jendraszak (Lincoln-Way East), who hit .401 with 32 runs, two homers and 33 RBI.
Leading the list of Southland residents on the All-CCAC Second Team was Calumet St. Joseph first baseman Samantha Abrego, who batted .458 with 21 runs. The Calumet City resident and T.F. North graduate added five homers and 23 RBI.
Joining Abrego were Robert Morris catcher Leah Challenger (Lemont), Robert Morris first baseman/designated hitter Madlyn Joyce (Mount Assisi), St. Francis infielder Jenny Festin (Lockport), St. Xavier third baseman/catcher Kate Mollohan (Andrew), Olivet Nazarene infielder Cheryl Sendzik (Lincoln-Way East) and Trinity Christian catcher/infielder Nicole Stuczynski (Reavis).
Leah Challenger batted .311 with two homers and 41 RBI, Joyce hit .380 with three homers and 45 RBI, Festin batted .329 with 38 runs and 25 RBI, Mollohan hit .430 with 13 runs and 22 RBI, Sendzik batted .344 with 41 runs and 40 RBI and Stuczynski hit .390 with seven home runs and 24 RBI.
The Wright stuff
Oak Forest resident Justin Kopale was one of eight Wright State University baseball players to receive postseason recognition from the Horizon League.
Kopale, a junior shortstop out of St. Rita, was one of two Raiders named to the 2012 All-Horizon League Second Team.
Kopale hit .281 on the season with 30 runs, 13 doubles, one triple, four homers and 45 RBI. A member of the All-Horizon League First Team in 2011, Kopale hit .316 in Horizon League play in 2012 with 29 RBI.
