July 5, 2006

By Rob Huizenga, SXU Sports Information

CHICAGO - Saint Xavier University (Ill.) senior second baseman Colleen Kilduff (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) is highlighted in the latest summer double issue (July 3, 2006) of Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" section (page 36) for her exceptional 2006 season in which she was named the NAIA Softball Player of the Year and broke several national and school records. 

Kilduff becomes just the second student-athlete ever at SXU to be listed in SI's "Faces in the Crowd" after former Cougar men's basketball player Jabari Saunders made the school's debut in last year's February 14 issue.

Kilduff capped her playing career at Saint Xavier with a stellar senior season in which she hit .465 (73-for-157) with 18 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs, 58 runs scored, and 82 RBI.  In 2006, she established new single-season school records for home runs (18), RBI (82), extra-base hits (38), and batting average (.465) in addition to the single-season doubles mark (23) she already owned from the 2003 campaign. 

However, Kilduff really displayed her greatness for the game of softball with her career statistics.  She is now the NAIA's career leader in doubles (74), total bases (535), and batting average (.402) as well as finishing No. 4 all-time in four additional categories, at-bats (751), hits (302), home runs (45), and RBI (219).  Kilduff led the NAIA in runs batted in (RBI) per game this spring averaging 1.58 a contest.

She is the daughter of Pete and Beth Kilduff of Hickory Hills, Ill.  She will receive a degree in secondary education from Saint Xavier University in December.