Vernon Hills’ Choi flying high at Lewis

Area volleyball fans will remember the solid defensive skills of Amy Choi when she played at Vernon Hills High School.

She is still displaying those talents at Lewis University in Romeoville.

The junior libero was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Baden Defensive Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week.

Choi helped the Flyers (17-8) to a 4-0 week, defeating Michigan Tech, 3-0, Indiana University Kokomo, 3-0, William Jewell, 3-0, and Rockhurst, 3-1.

Choi posted a season-high 31 digs against Rockhurst. Over Lewis’s four matches last week, she totaled 66 digs, for an average of 6.6 digs a set.

타 University of Dubuque freshman outside hitter Klaudia Basierak (Grayslake) was named Iowa Illinois Athletic Conference Volleyball “Performer of the Week.”

Basierak finished the week with 78 kills, 68 digs, and 6 aces in 5 matches. She had four kill/dig double-doubles for the week finishing with 20/25 (vs. Coe), 18/15 (vs. UW-Oshkosh), 16/11 (vs. Wartburg), and 16/11 (vs. Loras). Basierak averaged 3.90 kills and 3.40 digs per set as Dubuque went 3-2 during the week.

Basierak’s 79 attempts against Coe set a new UD single-match record breaking the previous record of 76 by Amanda Pinter vs. Loras in 2001. She also set a single-season attack record with 1,594 total attempts besting the old record of 1,347 by Stacy Haas in 1995.

It is Basierak’s first IIAC Volleyball Performer of the Week. Earlier this season, she was named to the all-tournament teams at the Beloit College Buc Blast and Macalester Invite.

The last Spartan to win IIAC Volleyball Offensive Performer of the Week was Lauren McKissick on Sept. 26, 2010.

Women’s cross country

A 15th-place finish by Kelley Gallagher (Vernon Hills) helped Southern Illinois take third place at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships in Normal. It was the Saluki’s first top three conference finish since 2006.

Gallagher’s time of 18:05 in the field of 75 runners was her fastest this year.

It earned Gallagher the 16th fastest 5k time in the MVC this season and was the second consecutive race that Gallagher finished as the No. 2 runner for the Salukis.

타 Behind a fifth-place finish from senior Sarahbeth Jones (Warren), Augustana took second place at the CCIW Cross Country Championship in Warrenville.

It was the highest finish for coach Fred Whiteside’s Vikings since a second-place finish in 2000. Illinois Wesleyan won the 2012 team title.

Jones completed the 6,000-meter course at St. James Farm in 22:43, 44 seconds off the pace of individual champion Rachael Williams of Illinois Wesleyan.

Women’s swimming

Augustana senior Emma Regnier (Grayslake North) was on the winning 3x100 breaststroke relay team (3:46.87) as the Vikings took second place at the Illinois Wesleyan Halloween

Invitational. Regnier was also part of the winning 3x100 medley relay (3:23.32).

Kessel Heat

The Kessel Heat 2012/2013 AAU winter season starts the week of November 12 and runs through March 1 at the Libertyville Sports Complex and Falcon Park Palatine. Practices are held three times a week along with seven loca tournaments on weekends.

For more information on tournament dates and practice times, visit www.kesselstraining.com

Gurnee Park District

The Gurnee Park District’s adult open basketball program, for those 21 years and up begins Tuesday, Oct. 30 and Thursday, Nov. 1 at the Woodland Middle School in Gurnee.

The program time is from 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. and cost is $5 per night. For the most up-to-date schedule visit gurneeparkdistrict.com

Hall of Fame

Michael Stokes’ record as Prospect’s boys cross country coach speaks for itself.

And in mid-January of next year, Stokes will speak as a hall of famer.

Stokes will be inducted into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame at the ITCCCA Clinic on Jan. 12, 2013 at Oak Park-River Forest High School.

“He lives and breathes this sport,” said Peter Wintermute, the assistant girls cross country coach-at Prospect. “He has an unmatched love, passion, and drive for running and this is what perpetuates his teams and his coaching staff.”

Women’s basktball

Anna Kirchoff (Barrington), who had a game-high 23 points, led Judson University in a season-opening 87-43 victory over Silver Lake College (Wis.).

Football

North Central freshman safety Richard Zirngibl (Bufalo Grove) recorded his first collegiate interception to preserve the No. 9-ranked Cardinals’ shutout against Illinois Wesleyan.

Women’s soccer

타 Wisconsin-Whitewater senior forward Christina Tooren (Hoffman Estates) was named Walmart “Athlete of the Week.”

She scored 2 goals in a 5-1 win over Oshkosh on Wednesday, including the game-winner at 44:56, and an unassisted goal at 58:18 to give her team a 3-1 lead.

In a 4-0 win over Stevens Point, Tooren assisted the third and fourth goals. She keyed the Warhawk’s offense, which doubled Steven Point’s shots on goal (12-6).

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