Mroz helps Emory to national repeat

Former Libertyville all-stater Katie Mroz and her Emory University women’s swimming team made quite a splash in the Division III national championships in Knoxville, Tenn., last week.

Mroz earned an all-America honor with a third-place finish (2:17.43) in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Emory capped an incredible four-day run in the finals by winning its second consecutive national championship.

The Eagles ran away with the championship, scoring 614 points to finish well ahead of second-place Denison University (428 points).

It marks the fourth national title in the history of Emory’s women’s swimming and diving program, and the second time that the team has gone back-to-back. The Eagles also won NCAA D-III team championships in 2005 and 2006.

Ÿ Wisconsin junior Ashley Wanland (Stevenson), added three more All-American honors to her resume at the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin, Texas.

Wanland placed sixth in the country among a very tight field in the 100-yard breaststroke with a season-best time of 59.57.

Wanland also swam the breaststroke leg of the Badgers’ 200 medley relay, which finished the event as the national runner-up in the finals.

The silver medal-winning time of 1:35.71 set a Wisconsin and Big Ten record. The team finished only behind California, which set a national record in the event (1:35.07).

“Our relay was phenomenal,” Wisconsin coach Eric Hansen said. “We got beat by the American and U.S. Open record, so we didn’t lose to anything that wasn’t spectacular.”

The same four-person relay team also earned All-American honors by placing fifth in the country in the 400-yard medley with a time of 3:31.73, which is a Wisconsin team record.

Wisconsin placed 11th in the nation (160 points). It was the Badgers’ best finish since taking ninth in 2006.

Baseball

Bradley junior Jacob Booden (Libertyville) picked up his third win of the season against Akron and was nominated for weekly Missouri Valley Conference honors.

The 6-foot-9 right-hander threw 6 innings, allowed 2 unearned runs and struck out a season-high eight in the Braves’ 7-5 victory.

Booden improved to 3-0 and lowered his earned run average to 0.68.

Bradley improved to 12-6 overall this spring by compiling a 6-2 record during the RussMatt Baseball Central Florida Invitational.

Women’s basketball

Sophomore Lydia Bauer (Lake Zurich) was the fifth-leading scorer (7.2) and 3-point specialist for Wisconsin-Green Bay (33-2), which lost to Baylor 86-76 in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA D-I women’s tourney Sunday night.

Adult softball

The Gurnee Park District offers adult men’s and co-ed softball leagues.

There are three men’s leagues which play Monday, Tuesday or Friday night. The co-ed league plays Wednesday night.

For more information on the adult softball leagues contact Ron Dorsey at 847-599-3758 or visit gurneeparkdistrict.com

Women’s basketball

Northwestern junior Allison Mocchi (Buffalo Grove) was one of three captains for the Wildcats who finished the season with 19 wins and a second consecutive appearance in the National Invitation tournament.

As the second player off the bench, Mocchi finished the season third on the team in steals and blocked shots, fourth in assists and fifth in rebounds while averaging 17.5 minutes per game.

She was instrumental in four of Northwestern’s most significant wins of the season.

In a 76-64 victory over Penn State on Jan. 2, Mocchi registered 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in just 13 minutes.

On Jan. 31, she collected 9 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists in just 16 minutes as Northwestern beat Ohio State 64-53.

On Feb. 20, Mocchi had 4 points 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 blocked shot in a 62-50 triumph over Minnesota.

And on March 3 when Northwestern won its first Big Ten Tournament game since 2000, Mocchi grabbed 9 rebounds and handed out 5 assists in a 53-44 victory over Minnesota.

Ÿ Please e-mail Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.