Haws has impact at Minnesota
As a senior at Libertyville High School four years ago, Ali Haws was one of the top volleyball, basketball and softball players in the area.
She had interest from colleges in all three sports.
But Haws always dreamed of going to the University of Minnesota, where her dad is an alumnus.
When she was accepted to Minnesota's highly-competitive Carlson School of Management, she decided to concentrate on academics her freshman year. But she missed team sports.
Turns out, she found a new one at Minnesota. And sure enough, she is once enjoying success in in.
Haws is a member of the Gophers' rowing team.
Her Seven Varsity Eight team recently received “Boat of the Week” honors in the Big Ten.
The Golden Gophers were the first team to earn the honor this season after competing against Tennessee at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Haws and her eight other crew partners earned the win with a first-place time of 6:15.10, beating out the nationally-ranked Lady Vols' time of 6:17.40.
Haws decided to go out for the rowing team as a sophomore. Although she had never rowed, she had a successful rookie season and was voted most valuable novice rower and novice captain.
Anyone who watched Haws compete at Libertyville should not be surprised that she was able to thrive in a new sport.
When the team went to Oak Ridge last week, the Minnesota rowers had not been in the water for months, except for a week in San Diego in January.
When the water is frozen, the Gophers practice in the boathouse that is on the Mississippi River.
“Winning ‘Boat of the week' felt amazing,” said Haws, who was on the dean's list in the Carlson School of Management in the spring semester. “I'm proud of all my teammates and it made all of our indoor workouts over the winter worth it.”
Haws was all-conference in all three of her high school sports and won an IHSA sportsmanship award.
Going from high school sports to rowing in college was a huge shift, according to Haws.
“The workouts are infinitely harder and there is a lot more pressure to succeed,” she said. “I get more nervous before rowing races than I ever did while competing in high school.”
Haws said it took a while to get used to practicing twice a day.
“But there's nothing quite like representing your school and beating a rival in a close race,” she added.
“Rowing is more physically demanding than the sports that I did in high school. I wanted to try something different and it was a challenge for me to try a new sport that most people don't know about. I feel you should never stop learning. Rowing never gets easier, and there is always something to improve on. It is a good way to constantly push yourself to be better.”
Women's track and field
St. Francis freshman Hilary Halford (Carmel) set a school record (4:54.28) and placed second in the 1,500-meter run at the 13-team Ted Hayden Invitational at the University of Chicago.
Park and recreation
The village of Lake Zurich Park and Recreation will have men's 12-inch softball leagues on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings and afternoons (two leagues).
There is also a co-rec league on Friday evenings.
There will also be a flag football league which runs seven weeks. The season may be adjusted due to the number of teams. All teams play a single-elimination tournament. The season starts on Sunday, April 17.
For more information on these leagues, contact Michael Perkins at (847) 438-5146.
Lunch with a legend
Morton's The Steakhouse at Wacker Place in Chicago is hosting the latest “Lunch with a Legend” event on Tuesday, April 19, beginning at 11 a.m. with special guest Mike Quade (Prospect) of the Chicago Cubs.
Lunch guests have the honor of meeting Quade in the intimate setting of Morton's private boardroom.
ESPN 1000's Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman will broadcast live from Morton's private boardroom beginning at 9 a.m. with Quade joining them at 11:30 a.m. to discuss the upcoming baseball season.
Women's tennis
Saint Mary's Magaret Boden (Lake Zurich) and partner Jillian Hurley won 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles as the Belles defeated North Central 8-1 at the South Bend Racquet Club.
The Belles' Mary Therese Lee (Libertyville) and partner Franca Peluso were 8-3 winners at No. 2 doubles.
Lee also clinched the win for Saint Mary's with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 6 singles.
Ÿ Augustana senior Tricia Sapio (Barrington) owns a 16-11 record for the Vikings who are 12-7.
Sapio and partner Sheri Hendriks posted an 8-0 win over St. Ambrose at No. 3 doubles.
Softball
Barrington senior softball player Kiersten Tinkoff was named the North region “High School Player of the Week” by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for games played through March 21.
Tinkoff is the first player to win top regional honors this season. The Fillies first baseman led her team to a perfect 3-0 start, going 6-for-9 on the week with 2 doubles, 3 runs, 3 RBI, a .727 on-base percentage and .889 slugging percentage. Defensively, Tinkoff turned an unassisted double play.
Men's track and field
Mick Viken (Rolling Meadows) pole vaulted 17-4½ at the Eastern Illinois Big Blue Classic, setting both the Maynard O'Brien Stadium record as well as a Panthers school record.
Vicken's jump is tied for second on the early NCAA Division I outdoor list.
Ÿ Please e-mail Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.