Lewis projects Elk Grove's Post as top-of-the-order plus

Heading into this spring's baseball season, Elk Grove's Brandon Post is flying high.

He has already signed a national letter of intent to play for the Lewis Flyers baseball program, along with six other recruits who will join him in Romeoville for the 2015-16 school year.

"All seven of these signees come from winning programs and have played a high level of competition which should translate well to competing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference," said Flyers coach Tim McDonough. "I feel all the young men have a chance to be consistent regulars for us and all-conference type performers. Coach (Mike) Vucsko and coach (Jon) Drahos did a great job with the evaluation and recruitment of this group."

Post, a left-handed throwing and hitting outfielder, helped coach Terry Behna's Elk Grove to the Mid-Suburban League championship last season when the Grens went 22-11.

He hit .310, was named to the MSL all-conference team and was chosen Daily Herald all-area honorable mention after hitting .417 in the league.

He was also an honor roll student.

"One of our biggest targets this recruiting cycle was a top-of-the-order hitter who can run a 6.6 in the 60 yard dash and defend in center field," McDonough said.

"We feel we found exactly that in Brandon. His ability to hit, bunt, steal bases and defend is something we have not had here since Mike Bolling graduated in 2012. Brandon is extremely athletic and exudes a quiet confidence on the field so I see a real possibility that he starts for us as a freshman and provides a spark at the top of the lineup."

Post is among seven signees who make up the first members of McDonough's eighth recruiting class.

"This year's class coupled with last year's comprise what I feel are the best back-to-back classes we have had since I started at Lewis and should make up much of the core for future success for the Lewis baseball program," McDonough said. "Most importantly, they are good students, possess a high level of character and integrity and will represent themselves and Lewis University proudly."

Lacrosse

Rutgers senior midfielder Brian Goss (St. Viator) is one of three team captains selected as Big Ten Conference preseason 'Players to Watch'.

The Scarlet Knights, who had their best season in 10 years with an 8-8 mark in 2014, were tabbed fifth out of six squads by the league's coaches for this upcoming season. Four Big Ten Conference teams were ranked by Lax Magazine.

Goss will be a Rutgers captain for the third consecutive season.

He has started 43 of his 45 games played at Rutgers. Goss had 16 goals and 3 assists last season, and in his career he has recorded 40 goals and 19 assists for 59 points.

Men's basketball

North Park's Jordan Robinson (Hoffman Estates) scored 19 points with 9 rebounds and 4 assists as the Vikings won their fourth straight game with a 72-69 victory over visiting Wheaton.

• North Central's Charles Rosenberg (Fremd) led the Cardinals with 24 points and 7 rebounds in a 72-70 win over Augustana.

Men's golf

St. Viator senior Nick Carlson committed to Illinois Wesleyan University to play golf for the nationally-ranked Titans.

Carlson, the 2014 East Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year, follows in the footsteps of senior Kenny Wienckowski, a 2012 St. Viator graduate who is playing No. 1 for Illinois Wesleyan.

Women's basketball

Carthage freshman Morgan Harris (Hersey) came off the bench to lead all scorers with a season-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field along with 4 of 5 free throws, 6 rebounds and 4 assists as the Lady Reds defeated Illinois Wesleyan 68-57.

• Millikin junior Alyssa Saklak (Schaumburg) had a team-high 6 rebounds with 6 points in the Big Blue's 72-49 loss at Elmhurst.

Men's track

DePaul senior Matt Babicz (Prospect) won his fourth consecutive shot put competition at the recent Notre Dame Invitational.

Babicz tossed a best throw of 63 feet, 5 inches. In four indoor events this year, Babicz has emerged victorious in each of the shot put competitions and ranks No. 9 nationally in NCAA Division I.

Last season, Babicz set Big East records for indoor (63-8) and outdoor (63-2) shot put events.

Babicz spent the last four years putting in the time and effort to become one of the best shot-putters in the Big East Conference.

Alongside setting records for career-best throws, Babicz has made three separate trips to the NCAA tournament.

There are still goals Babicz has yet to accomplish. He wants to be an All-American indoor and outdoor shot put athlete as well as place top three in the nation for throwing.

• Lewis junior Andre Barnes (Prospect) narrowly missed breaking the meet record in the 400-meter dash, but still came home with a second-place and NCAA provisional finish of 49.02 at the Hillsdale Wide-Track Classic at the Biermann Athletic Center.

• North Central College senior Travis Morrison (Schaumburg) is currently ranked second in the nation with a time of 14:26.70. The team holds the No. 1 ranking for all Division III institutions.

• Augustana junior Ethan Koch (Prospect) finished third in 10:41.15 as the Vikings placed third in the seven-team Olivet Nazarene Invitational in Bourbonnais. Koch was sixth in the 3000 in 8:50.75.

Also at the meet, Vikings freshman Evan Murphy (Buffalo Grove) recorded a leap of 41-11¼" in the triple jump for third place.

Football

Maine West had three players sign letters of intent last week: Jovaun Woolford (Colgate University), Joey Vogeney (Naval Academy) and Chaz Velasco (University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh).

Men's tennis

Augustana freshman Eric Pohl (Fremd) won two matches at No. 1 doubles with freshman partner Sam Trotten in a dual meet vs. Simpson at the Quad-City Tennis Club.

Women's track

Augustana senior Stephanie Burbidge (Palatine) finished fifth in the mile (5:48.42) of the Olivet Nazarene Invitational where the Vikings finished third among seven teams.

• Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com