FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

Official CCIW Release

May 7, 2012-- The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin released its All-Conference softball team on Monday with North Central College's Mary Caron and Vlasta Mangia earning Second Team honors.

Caron was a Second Team selection at second base, earning All-CCIW accolades for the second straight season. Caron, who started all 39 games for the Cardinals in 2012, was Second Team All-CCIW as an outfielder in 2011. The senior finished second on the team with a .355 batting average while driving in 19 runs and blasting 10 extra base hits. Caron led the Cardinals with a .470 on-base percentage while stealing eight bases on the year.

Mangia earns a spot on the Second Team as an at-large selection, claiming All-CCIW honors for the second consecutive year. The sophomore earned First Team honors in 2011 as a pitcher. Mangia led the Cardinals in 2012 with a .385 batting average belting in 19 runs and posting a team-best .496 slugging percentage along with 10 stolen bases. In the circle, Mangia compiled a 16-14 record with a team-best 2.17 earned run average, tossing 25 complete games and striking out 94 batters. The righthander started 11 of the team's 14 CCIW games as pitcher, playing center field the remaining three games.

Under the direction of head coach Jim Kulawiak, the Cardinals tallied their 24th straight winning season in 2012, closing the year with a 21-18 overall record and a 5-9 mark in conference action.