LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Junior catcher
Abby Mallo and senior pitcher
Taylor Hochman of the Saint Louis University softball team have been selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Midwest Region second and third teams, respectively, by a vote of the region's head softball coaches, the organization announced Thursday.
Mallo collected All-Region plaudits for a second time following a third-team nod in 2023. Hochman earned her first All-Region selection.
The inclusion of Mallo and Hochman gives Saint Louis 15 All-Region selections in program history. At least one Billiken has made an All-Region team in five consecutive years; SLU placed two players on the list for a third time in the past four seasons.
The All-Region honor adds to an impressive list of accomplishments for Mallo this season. She was named Atlantic 10 Conference co-Player of the Year for her regular-season performance and A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Player after helping lead the Billikens to their first conference tournament title and first NCAA Tournament bid.
In addition, Mallo was a four-time A-10 Player of the Week, a three-time selection to the NFCA's "Selected Top Performances" list and a two-time choice in Michella Chester's NCAA "Lineup of the Week."
Mallo ranks second in the nation with 80 RBIs, a school record and tied for the A-10 record. She is 18th nationally in total bases (school-record 136), tied for 19th in home runs (school-record 19) and tied for 32nd in runners caught stealing (13). Her 19 home runs, which are one shy of the A-10 mark, have given her a SLU career-record 42 round-trippers, and her 164 career RBIs are just nine shy of the Saint Louis standard.
Additionally, Mallo leads the Billikens in batting average (.368), hits (64), doubles (13) and slugging percentage (.782) and adds a .459 on-base percentage, 39 runs and 27 walks.
Hochman also has garnered significant recognition this season. She was an All-Conference second-team and A-10 Championship All-Tournament selection, a two-time choice for the NFCA's "Selected Top Performances" and an All-Tournament pick at Hawaii's Paradise Classic.
Hochman's seven shutouts rank sixth nationally and are just one short of the school record. She has career bests this season in wins (16), ERA (2.38), innings (182 2/3), complete games (16), starts (30) and appearances (36). Hochman ranks 14th in starts, 19th in innings and 43rd in complete games in NCAA Division I. Her performance this year has lifted her into the top 10 on eight Billiken career lists.
