May 9, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois softball team once again proved its commitment to excellence on and off the field with senior first baseman Lauren Haas, and senior outfielder Krystal Stein being selected to the 2008 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V First Team on Thursday.

This is the fourth straight season that SIU has placed two student-athletes on the 11-member District V First Team. This is also the third straight year Haas has been named to the first team (2006-08), and Stein's second time being chosen for first team in her Saluki career (2006, 2008).

Haas, a Bremerton, Wash. native who carries a 3.70 grade point average in marketing, was named the MVC Player of the Week on May 5, and on Wednesday became just the third Saluki in program history to be selected as the MVC Player of the Year. She leads the team with a .388 batting average, which currently ranks seventh all-time in a single season, and is tied for third place for career home runs with 24.

She also moved into the record books this season, tying for fourth place all-time for single-season doubles (13), and tying for sixth place for single-season runs batted in (39).

Stein, who hails from Nashville, Ill. and carries a 4.0 GPA in speech communication, holds a .243 batting average this season and recorded 36 hits, three doubles, a triple and six RBI on the year. Stein also chosen as one of Southern Illinois' 25 Most Distinguished Seniors.

Haas and Stein also both helped the Saluki softball team achieve a second place finish among the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's All-Academic teams last season, which was the highest ranking ever in the program's history.

Players named to the COSIDA / ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Teams will have their names forwarded on to the ballot for COSIDA / ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America consideration.

2008 Academic All-District Softball District V First Team
P Andrea Zappia VALPARAISO - 3.79 GPA - History
P Briana Hassett MINNESOTA - 3.32 GPA - Marketing
C Shannon Stemper MINNESOTA - 3.51 GPA - Finance
IF Shanna Diller ILLINOIS - 3.74 GPA - Advertising
IF Lauren Haas SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - 3.70 GPA - Marketing
IF Tiffany Prager ILLINOIS STATE - 3.64 GPA - Business administration
IF Katie Laing NOTRE DAME - 3.56 GPA - Marketing, psychology
OF Krystal Stein SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - 4.0 GPA Speech communication
OF Karen Korb VALPARAISO - 3.93 GPA - Finance, marketing
OF Sandy Vojik DEPAUL 3.37 GPA - Physical ed., fitness management
DP Kat Krause LOYOLA (IL) - 3.82 GPA - Psychology