Spartans named NFCA All-Region
AURORA, Ill. -- Aurora University's women's softball team placed four players on the 2008 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region teams. Senior third baseman Dana Cebular (Brookfield, IL/Riverside-Brookfield H.S.), junior outfielder Nikki Veen (Oak Lawn, IL/Oak Lawn H.S.), freshman outfielder Shannon Starr (Itasca, IL/Lake Park H.S.) and sophomore pitcher Anna Snyder (Grayslake, IL/Grayslake H.S.) were named Great Lakes All-Region by the NFCA.

On the season – in which AU finished with a 35-6 regular season record, won the Northern Athletics Conference Championship with a 23-1 record and won the NAC Tournament Championship (the conference title is the fifth straight for the Spartans) – AU placed Cebular and Starr on the First-Team, Snyder on the Second-Team and Veen on the Third-Team.

Cebular continued to rewrite the Spartan record books. She extended her own career record with 37 home runs after having set the single-season record with 11 home runs as a freshman (2005). This season she is hitting .533 with five doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 53 runs scored and 39 runs batted in. Cebular has a .867 slugging percentage with a .595 on-base percentage and a .962 fielding percentage at the hot corner. She holds career records in doubles (44), hits (252), singles (154), at bats (589), runs batted in (154) and games played/started (188). While also holding single season records in home runs (11 in 2005), total bases (130 in 2007), runs scored (60 in 2007) and games played/started (49 in 2006).

Starr, in her first collegiate season, is hitting .455 with a team high 43 runs batted in, 29 runs scored, eight doubles, three triples and four home runs. She has a .652 slugging percentage and .490 on-base percentage.

Snyder, a Second-Team selection, has a 22-3 record with four saves, a 1.39 earned run average and 212 strikeouts in 136 innings pitched. Oponents are hitting .161 against her, she has 14 complete games with one no-hitter and five shutouts. In NAC action, Snyder was 14-0 with a 0.85 earned run average and three saves.

Veen, a Third-Team selection, has a .424 average with 41 runs scored, eight doubles, four home runs and 24 runs batted in. She has a .576 slugging percentage and .486 on-base percentage.
The Spartan women finished the regular season with a 35-6 overall record and 23-1 in the NAC and were the NAC regular season and tournament champions.

Next action for the Spartan softball team comes on Thursday, May 8, 2008, when they travel to the 2008 NCAA Division III Championship regional hosted by the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. AU will take on the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh with game time set for 6:00 p.m. in Eau Claire, WI.

Courtesy of Aurora University, Sports Information Department, May 6, 2008.