By Mike Walsh
Correspondent
The transition from high school softball to college went quite smoothly for Abby Mallo this season.
The starting third baseman as a freshman for Saint Louis University, Mallo was named to the 2023 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team, claiming a place on the NFCA’s Third Team. Mallo is the first Billiken freshman since 2018 to be chosen to the All-Region squad.
The Richards alum was also named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team, garnered a place on the A-10 All-Rookie Team, and was named A-10 Rookie of the Week on two occasions and Player of the Week once.
Mallo set a Billikens record with 54 RBI, which also paced the A-10, and her 12 home runs tied for the conference lead. Mallo hit .288, slugged .590, had an OPS of .951 and scored 28 runs.
Mallo had a team-high 18 multi-RBI games and batted .370 with runners in scoring position. She played an integral role in Saint Louis finishing its season 30-25 overall and 20-5 in the A-10. She appeared in 48 games, making 40 starts.
Maverick Maggie
Omaha sophomore shortstop Maggie O’Brien has been chosen to the 2023 All-Summit League Academic Women’s Softball Team. This is O’Brien’s first time achieving that honor.
The Palos Heights resident was one of two Omaha players chosen to the All-Summit League Honorable Mention Team.
Starting all 50 games for the Mavericks, the Marist graduate finished with 11 doubles, 24 runs, 43 hits and 15 RBI while batting .272.
O’Brien also earned a spot on the 2023 Summit League Honorable Mention Team.
O’Brien’s contributions helped Omaha to finish 33-17 overall and 15-5 in the Summit League. The Mavericks won the league championship and posted their first victory in the NCAA Women’s Division I Tournament with a 3-0 triumph over Prairie View A8M at the Baton Rouge Regional.
Getting on Track
Sandburg graduate Dylan Jacobs was chosen to the College Sports Communicators 2022-23 Academic All-America men’s track & field/cross country teams. Jacobs, who ran last season as a graduate transfer at Tennessee, was named to the First Team.
Jacobs posted four school records, won three SEC individual/relay titles and claimed the indoor 5K NCAA crown this past March. The Orland Park native collected four All-America certificates in 2022-23, including a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last fall. That stands as the best individual result by a Vol at the national meet since 1972.
The 2023 USTFCCCA National Indoor Track Athlete of the Year established SEC records and all-time top five performances in the 3K and 5K last winter, running respective marks of 7:36.89 and 13:11.01 during the regular season. Those rank Nos. 2 and 3 in U.S. collegiate history, respectively.