Bowling Green State University Athletics
Gina Rango Named To All-Region First Team
May 14, 2003 | Softball
May 14, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University softball freshman Gina Rango has been named to the 2003 Great Lakes All-Region Team, it was announced Wednesday morning (May 14). Rango, a third baseman, was selected to the first team.
Rango, a native of North Lima, Ohio (Boardman H.S.), becomes just the eighth player in school history to earn all-region honors, and only the third Falcon ever to be named to the all-region first team. She joins Amy Lienhardt (1988) and Rachelle Highfill (1993) as BGSU's first-team selections.
Additionally, Rango is the only freshman named to the 2003 first team, and was one of only two Mid-American Conference players chosen to the first team, joining Ohio University outfielder Erin Chapman. Four MAC players were named to the second team.
The Great Lakes All-Region Team is the result of voting by head coaches within the region. Rango, as an all-region selection, is now eligible for All-America honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Rango, an All-Mid-American Conference First-Team pick, was one of just three Falcons to start all 53 games. She led the team with a .364 batting average, and also paced the Falcons in runs (34), hits (60) and total bases (88), while finishing second in at-bats (165), doubles (13), homeruns (five), runs batted in (27), slugging percentage (.533) and on-base pct. (.401). Her total of 60 hits ties her for the second most in a season in school history, while her total of five homers deadlocks her for fourth on that single-season list.
Rango earned BGSU's Most Valuable Offensive Player award for the 2003 campaign.
The Falcons finished the 2003 season with an overall record of 26-26-1, and BGSU went 15-9 in Mid-American Conference play. The Brown and Orange qualified for the MAC Tournament for the fifth time in the last six years.
BGSU's All-Region Selections
First Team Amy Lienhardt, OF, 1988 Rachelle Highfill, 2B, 1993 Gina Rango, 3B, 2003Second Team Vicki Miwa, P, 1987 Becky Bailey, 2B, 1991 Dena Romstadt, 3B, 1992 Jennifer Wolf, P, 1993 Amy Hamilton, 1B/P, 1997
2003 Great Lakes All-Region Softball Teams
First Team Position Player (School) Year Pitcher Jessica Beech (Michigan State) Junior Pitcher Amy Harre (Southern Illinois) Sophomore Catcher Monica Schock (Michigan) Junior First Base Natalie Furrow (Michigan State) Junior Second Base Angie Barney (Dayton) Junior Third Base Gina Rango (Bowling Green) Freshman Third Base Brittney Green (Michigan State) Junior Shortstop Jessica Merchant (Michigan) Sophomore Outfield Sandy Lewis (Michigan State) Senior Outfield Erin Chapman (Ohio) Junior Outfield Meghan Doe (Michigan) R-Junior Utility Marissa Young (Michigan) Senior Des. Player Amanda Rivera (Ill. at Chicago) JuniorSecond Team Position Player (School) Year Pitcher Nicole Motycka (Michigan) Sophomore Pitcher Audra Rast (Illinois State) Senior Pitcher Nicole Marzano (Oakland) & Sophomore Pitcher Kelly Murphy (Youngstown State) ^ Freshman Catcher Janna Sartini (Illinois) Junior First Base Jenna Hall (Illinois) Freshman First Base Amanda Berry (Youngstown State) % Junior Second Base Lisa Mattke (Northern Illinois) Senior Third Base Aimee Smith (Central Michigan) Junior Third Base Ericka Burns (Oakland) $ Senior Shortstop Tracee McCoy (Akron) Senior Outfield Karisa Evans (Ohio State) Sophomore Outfield Melinda Moulden (Michigan) Senior Outfield Gina Bianchini (Penn State) Senior Utility Michelle Brander (Central Mich.) Senior Des. Player Kelly Creek (Southern Illinois) Sophomore
& automatic selection as Mid-Continent Pitcher of the Year ^ automatic selection as Horizon League Pitcher of the Year % automatic selection as Horizon League Player of the Year $ automatic selection as Mid-Continent Player of the Year
