On Wednesday night the Midwest Collegiate League All-Star teams were announced and the Southland Vikings had eight players named to the South Division squad. The highest total of representatives among the four teams in the South, the Vikings will have a strong presence in Lisle. The 2012 MCL All-Star game is scheduled for July 11 at 7:00 p.m. at Benedictine Stadium on the campus of Benedictine University. The DuPage County Hounds will play host for the second All-Star Game in the league's two-year history.

Southland had two outfielders, three infielders and three pitchers named to the team. Elliott Armstrong and Shane Brown are perhaps the most noteworthy nominees as the two speedy outfielders have been the definition of table setters at the top of the Vikings lineup. In terms of batters with 80 at-bats or more, Armstrong is third in the league in batting average at .365. He is also tied for the lead league in hits with 42. His speed on the basepaths has also been beneficial to the Vikings and his 11 stolen bases are tied for fifth in the MCL. Brown, a recent high school graduate, joined the team late because his Simeon Wolverines were in the final four of the IHSA 3A State Finals. A true five-tool player, the switch-hitting Brown is batting .353 which is good for seventh in the MCL. He has hit two home runs and stolen eight bases to go along with 24 hits. Brown has made several highlight plays in the outfield and is invaluable to the Vikings team.

Infielders Joey Migliaccio and Chris Stevens were also named to the team as was catcher Alec Ornelas. Migliaccio recently signed a letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Oral Roberts University and he is second in the league in home runs with four. He leads the team in both homers and runs batted in and is third on the team in hits with 27. He has split time at third and second base on the field. Stevens, like Brown, is straight out of high school and he has been an integral part of the lineup in the cleanup spot. He is in the top ten in the league in batting average (.337), hits (29), and doubles (10). Ornelas has come on hot of late, swinging the bat better and providing steady play behind the plate. He is second on the team in runs batted in with 13 and is batting a shade under .300 at .293.

On the mound the Vikings have three All-Stars in Chris Chigas, Brandon Duplessis and Charlie Naso. Chigas and Duplessis have been the top two starters for Southland this season. Both pitchers have one start remaining before the All-Star break, but at press time Chigas had an earned run average of just 2.17 and had recorded 36 strikeouts. That number is third-best in the MCL. Duplessis has been spectacular as well, pitching deep into games and fooling hitters with a beautiful breaking ball. In six appearances he has an ERA of 3.89 and has struck out 27 batters while walking just four. Naso has been the go-to reliever for the Vikings this season and the University of Illinois product is 2-1 this season with a 2.31 ERA. He has also struck out 24 batters in 23.1 innings pitched.

The Southland Vikings are currently 11-15 and fourth place in the Midwest Collegiate League South Division. The eight players selected as All-Stars will participate in the July 11th All-Star Game at Benedictine University and then the Vikings will have eight home games in the second half of the season. The Vikings play at Vikings Field on the campus of Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois.