2018 Softball Roster
Jersey Number 23
Leigh Farina
- Position:
- Infield
- Height:
- 5-5
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Rolling Meadows, Ill.
- High School:
- William Fremd
Junior - 2017
- All-Big Ten Second-Team
- Big Ten Player of the Week (4/17)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Started all 58 games she saw action in, mainly at second base
- .293 BA, 30 R, 43 H, 4 2B, 3 3B, 15 RBI, 53 TB, 3 SF, 4 Sac hits, 8-of-9 SB
- .960 fielding percentage, 124 PO, 117 A, 12 double plays turned
- .309 BA in Big Ten play, 9 R, 17 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBI, .400 slugging percentage, 2-of-3 SB, .957 fielding percentage
- Ranked third on the Illini with a .309 batting average in B1G games
- Posted .250 batting average with three hits and two runs in the NCAA Regional
- Registered a .700 batting average with seven hits (two doubles), four RBI, nine total bases and a run in the Michigan State series en route to B1G POTW
- Batted .429 in the Iowa series with three hits, a run and a stolen base
- Hit.417 with five hits, four runs, two RBI and two stolen bases at the I-75 Challenge
- Went 3-for-4 with two runs, a stolen base and the Illini’s first triple of the season against Georgia Tech (February 10)
Sophomore - 2016
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in 22 games, starting 18, mainly seeing action at short stop
- .222 BA, 6 R, 8 H, 3 RBI
- Notched a .937 fielding percentage with 26 putouts, 48 assists
- Went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs against Sam Houston State (March 4)
Freshman - 2015
- Appeared in 26 games as a freshman, making 14 starts.
- Saw action in the field at both third base (14 games) and shortstop (games).
- Hit .214 on the season (9-for-42) with nine runs scored, two RBIs, a walk and a stolen base.
- Hit safely in her first two career starts and scored the first Illini run against No. 12 Georgia on Feb. 7.
- Went 2-for-2 with a run scored off the bench against Providence.
- Went 2-for-4 with the game-tying RBI, two runs and a stolen base in game two at Maryland (4/11), replacing Rivera at shortstop after she was struck by a batted ball.
- Started five games at shortstop from April 12-18 while Rivera was out with a concussion.
High School
- Played high school softball under Head Coach Jim Weaver for William Fremd High School.
- Holds the all-time Fremd record for batting average, with a lifetime .441, including batting .495 as a junior.
- Totalled 147 runs, 176 hits, 140 RBIs, 16 home runs, 42 stolen bases and 67 extra-base hits over 406 career at-bats.
- Ranks second all-time at Fremd in career RBIs, placing in the top 10 in nine career categories.
- Three-time Chicago Sun Times Top 100 Player (2012, 2013, 2014).
- 2013 Illinois Coaches Association First-Team All-State.
- 2012 ICA Third-Team All-State.
- 2013 Chicago Sun Times All-State Honorable Mention.
- Three-time Daily Herald Cook County First-Team All-Area (2012, 2013, 2014).
- Three-time Mid Suburban League First-Team All-Conference (2012, 2013, 201)4.
- Led Fremd to three consecutive Illinois State Region Championships (2011-13), as well as the 2011 Sectional Finals and Sweet 16.
- Played travel ball for Illinois Bash Gold under Jim Goranson.
- Led Bash to 2013 ASA Gold National Championships and a third-place finish in 2012.
- 2012 Premier Gold Qualifier.
- Played for the Illinois Patriots from 2008-11, finishing second at 2011 ASA Nationals and fourth in 2010.
- Led the Patriots to a third-place finish at the 2011 16U Capital City Showdown at Ohio State.
Personal
- Born Leigh Kathryn Farina on March 27, 1996.
- Daughter of Lyn and Vince Farina.
- Has two brothers, Tim, who plays baseball at Illinois College, and John.
- Member of the Fremd Honor Roll all through high school.
- Majoring in Kinesiology.
Illini Softball | Ava Moore Media Availability 1/29/2025
Wednesday, January 29
Illini Softball | Karley Yergler Media Availability 1/29/2025
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Illini Softball | Head Coach Tyra Perry Availability 1/29/2025
Wednesday, January 29
ILLINI SB | Berkmeyer Catching Runners
Tuesday, June 11
