May 11, 2010

South Bend, Ind. - Illinois senior outfielder Hope Howell has been named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Five Team. Howell now qualifies for Academic All-American consideration.

Howell ranks second on the team and third in the Big Ten in batting average (.405) while ranking fifth in the league in hits (62). The native of Lithonia, Ga., was a second team All-Big Ten selection in 2009. She batted .714 (10-for-14) in Illinois' four wins at the Stanford Nike Invitational. Her .338 career batting average would rank fourth on the Illinois' all-time list. Her other career numbers include 36 doubles (sixth on Illinois' career list), six triples (fifth on the career list), 14 home runs (10th on the career list) and 103 RBI (seventh on the career list).

District Five includes Division I universities in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. In order to be considered, athletes must be in their second year academically at the school, have a minimum 3.30 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and be a starter or regular contributor. CoSIDA members serving schools in each district vote on the winners. District winners then advance to Academic All-America consideration.