Aug. 26, 2000

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Former Villanova baseball standout Mike Neill has been named to the 2000 United States Olympic baseball team. The 28-man squad that will participate in Sydney, Australia is managed by former Los Angeles Dodger skipper and current Dodger executive Tommy Lasorda. Neill will join the Olympic team on Sept. 1.

Neill played at Villanova from 1989-91. As a junior in 1991, Neill batted .468 with 85 runs scored, 76 RBI, 22 doubles and 19 home runs. For his efforts in 1991, he was named the Big East Conference Player of the Year. Neill still currently owns nine Villanova school records.

A member of the Seattle Mariner organization, Neill is currently playing for the Mariner AAA affiliate Tacoma Rainiers. As of Saturday, August 26, Neill was hitting .295 with 36 doubles, 11 home runs and 62 RBI and playing the outfield for the Rainiers. His 36 doubles rank him third in the Pacific Coast League.

There will be four Villanovans participating in the 2000 summer games including Neill, sophomore swimmer Maddy Crippen and former Wildcat track & field greats Jen Rhines and Sonia O'Sullivan. Crippen will swim in the 400 individual medley, Rhines will compete in the 10,000 meter run and O'Sullivan has qualified in the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meter races. Dating back to 1948, there has been at least one Villanovan in every summer olympics.