Rowing suits Conlin at Notre Dame

After four years participating on the Rolling Meadows girls basketball, swimming and soccer teams, a 2010-2011 Daily Herald Female Athlete of the Year has found a new sport at her new school.

Maddie Conlin is a freshman on the University of Notre Dame rowing team.

“I am loving it so far,” said the first female to earn 12 letters at Rolling Meadows. “I decided to try out because I already started to miss the team atmosphere and I had a friend whose older sister walked on to the rowing team and loved it.”

Because it is not one of the more common sports, Conlin said there are a lot of girls like her who had never tried the sport.

“So we all got to learn together,” Conlin said. “The main skill from all three sports I played in high school is just how important it is to be on the same page as all of your teammates. Our coach always talks about how we can only move the boat the fastest if we are all locking in together and thinking about ‘What can I do to make my team better?’ ”

Conlin helped make the Meadows basketball team better as it went from 4 wins her freshman year to 19 her senior season.

In soccer, her coach Jeff Adkins called Conlin the “heart and soul” of the team for four years.”

In swimming, Conlin was a captain and member of Meadows’ 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle record-setting relay teams.

Now, she’s back in the water in a different sport.

“I think the dryland training and muscle-building from swimming really helps (for rowing), and the endurance from both basketball and soccer are important.

“This will definitely satisfy my desire for sports because rowing is a lot about heart and determination,” Conlin added. “I am extremely excited for my first race (next spring season).”

Women’s soccer

Wisconsin senior Michele Dalton (Hersey) was named Big Ten Conference “Goalkeeper of the Year.”

Dalton also was included on the All-Big Ten First Team, becoming only the third Badger in the program’s history to accomplish the feat, joining Julie Johnson (1996) and Ursula McKnight (1994).

Dalton has played every minute in goal for Wisconsin this year. She is tied for second in the Big Ten with 6 shutouts, and is fourth in goals-against-average (0.91), save percentage (. 825) and saves (85).

타 Butler freshman forward Elise Kotsakis (Fremd) was a second-team pick for the All-Horizon League team.

Kotsakis was also voted to the league’s all-newcomer team.

She made an immediate impact in her first year, leading the team in points (14), shots (68) and game-winning goals (3). Her 6 goals tied for the team lead, and her shots total ranks second in the Horizon League.

타 Loyola junior Jessie Hubly (Elk Grove) earned a spot on the All-Horizon League Second Team after leading the defense as the most experienced player on the back end. Often the first step of the Loyola offensive attack, Hubly was the master of set plays, taking nearly every corner kick this fall, while also taking 12 shots and tallying 2 assists in game-winning situations.

Men’s soccer

Beloit senior midfielder Tom Slusher (Prospect) earned his second Midwest Conference “Offensive Player of the Week” honor.

Slusher secured Beloit’s spot in the MWC Tournament with 2 goals in less than five minutes in the Bucs’ 2-1 come-from-behind win at Monmouth College. The first goal, at 84:55, tied the game and came 1:38 after Monmouth had broken the scoreless tie. His second goal came with 55 seconds left. For the season, Slusher has 7 goals and 15 points with 3 game-winning scores.

Elk Grove Feeder

Tryouts will be held for the Elk Grove Boys Feeder Basketball program for 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys on Nov. 27 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and on Dec. 4 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.. More information: www.leaguelineup.com/boysfeederbasketball

Buffalo Grove feeder

The Buffalo Grove Boy’s Feeder Basketball program will be holding tryouts for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teams on Sunday Dec. 4 from noon to 4 p.m. at Buffalo Grove High School. All players trying out must live in the Buffalo Grove attendance area. Parents are required to register their son upon drop off at noon and asked to return at 3 p.m. Those selected to play on the team must attend a parent/player meeting from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.. For more information, call the Buffalo Grove Athletic Department at 847-718-4020.

타The Buffalo Grove Girls Basketball Feeder program will host tryouts on Sunday, Nov. 13 at Buffalo Grove High School. Please contact Pat Dudle at (847) 718-4323 with any questions. Times are noon to 1 p.m. (5th grade), 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. (6th grade) 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (7th grade) and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. (8th grade).

Wheeling feeder

Tryouts for the Wheeling High School Boys Basketball Feeder program will be held Sunday, Nov. 17 at Wheeling High School: 8th grade (11 a.m. to noon), 7th grade (noon to 1:15 p.m.), 6th grade (1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and 5th grade (2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.)

Contact John Clancy at john.clancy@d214.org or BJ Jordan at WHSbosfeeder@yahoo.com for more information.

Women’s volleyballBefore middle blocker Margaret Salata enrolled at North Carolina State four years ago, the Wolfpack had won just three Atlantic Coast Conference matches in the previous seven seasons.

Then, in Salata#146;s first two seasons as a Division I volleyball player, NSC went 1-41 against league competition.

However in the last two seasons, the former Stevenson standout has helped the Wolfpack win a total of nine ACC contests #8212; more than twice as many as the program won in its previous nine seasons (4-162).

Salata has provided some valuable veteran leadership and become one of the ACC#146;s most productive front line players with her steady scoring and her vastly improved blocking skills.

She recorded a career-high 19 kills in a 3-1 victory over Boston College. The win assured the Wolfpack its first winning season since 1996 as it improved to 21-16 and 4-12.

Salata#146;s 19 kills was one more than her previous career-best of 18, set last season in five sets against Illinois State.

Salata leads the Wolfpack with a career-high 283 kills this season and her 3.04 kills per set ranks ninth in the ACC. She has recorded 845 kills in her four seasons. Her 373 career blocks rank seventh in school history.

She also ranks fourth in the ACC with 117 blocks and eighth in the league with a .334 hitting percentage.

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