Marquette honors Vernon Hills' Willenborg
Don't look for a No. 34 on Marquette women's basketball team in the future.
Abbie Willenborg, the Vernon Hills varsity girls volleyball coach and former Hersey all-state basketball star made sure of that during her playing days at the Milwaukee college from 1996 to 2000.
Regarded as one of the most prolific players ever to don a Marquette women's basketball jersey, Willenborg became only the third woman to have her number retired.
A special halftime ceremony was held Feb. 19 at the Al McGuire Center when Marquette played Syracuse.
Willenborg's jersey will be raised up and placed on the north wall of the arena.
She joins Kathy Andrykowski (1977-78), who had her number retired in 2005, and Kristen Maskala (1991-94), whose jersey was retired in 2006.
Willenborg helped Marquette attain many program achievements, including four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
She became one of just four players to play in four NCAA Fournaments during her career, and Marquette captured back-to-back Conference USA regular-season championships during her junior and senior campaigns.
After the 1999-2000 season, Willenborg was named to the All-Conference USA first team for the third consecutive season, only MU player in program history to achieve the feat. She was a second-team All-America selection named by Women's Basketball News Service following her senior season.
During her freshman season, she led the nation's freshman class in rebounds with 314, a Marquette freshman season record. After averaging 18.7 points and 14.5 rebounds in three games of the Conference USA Tournament, she was named to the Conference USA All-Tournament Team and claimed a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team.
Willenborg, who was also a volleyball standout at Hersey and coached the St. Viator varsity girls basketball team five years ago, graduated as Marquette's leading career scorer with 1,818 career points and held the record for eight seasons until Krystal Ellis topped her mark during the 2008-09 season.
Willenborg is the school's all-time leading rebounder (1,167) and all-time leader in free throws made/attempted (435/635). She ranks in the top six all-time in scoring average (15.4, fourth), field goals made (677, second), rebounding average (9.9, third) and steals (211, sixth).
Willenborg became the only player in Marquette history to be drafted by the WNBA. She was taken in the fourth round of the 2000 draft by the Houston Comets. She was inducted into the Marquette Club Hall of Fame in 2006.
Men's basketball
For the first time in school history, Luther College won the Iowa Conference Tournament championsship, posting a 57-48 victory over the University of Dubuque in the Regents Center.
Freshman guard John Androus (Vernon Hills) tied for Luther's top effort on the boards with 7 rebounds.
Ÿ Augustana junior Brian DeSimone (Buffalo Grove) was a third team College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin all-conference selection.
The 6-foot-1 point guard runs the show for the No. 6-ranked Vikings (24-3).
His 9.1 points per game are third on the team and he leads Augustana with 28 steals.
DeSimone is tied for the team lead with 64 assists and has just 31 turnovers in 24 games. He's second on the Vikings with 36 three-point field goals in 104 attempts (.346).
Vernon Hills Athletic Association
Tackle football, flag Football and cheerleading will have walk-in registration on Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday from 3-7 p.m.) at 740 Corporate Woods Parkway. For more information, check the website at www.vhcyaa.org or call at 847-793-8300.
Women's track
North Central's Kala Bingham (Barrington) finished second in the mile run (5:11.58) as the Cardinals secured their first College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Indoor Championship since 2007 at Illinois Wesleyan University's Shirk Center.
Women's swimming
Villanova senior Liz Stetson (Barrington) swam the butterfly leg of the 200 medley relay (setting a school record) and placed in the consolation finals of the 100 fly (55.6) and the 200 fly (2:04.3) at the Big East championships in Lousville, Ky. Stetson also swam a personal best in the 100 back (57.2). Villanova placed fourth in the 12-team field.
Ÿ Please e-mail Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.