Prospect's Sherwood eager for next challenges in her fields

Prospect's girls track and field team, which recently won the Mid-Suburban East championship, will be sending one of its members off to the Big East next year.

Knights senior Catherine Sherwood will attend Marquette University to continue track and field and major in nursing.

"I'm very excited about attending Marquette and continuing my career at a collegiate level," said Sherwood, who also starred as a forward on Prospect's girls basketball team which enjoyed its best record in school history this winter under coach Ashley Graham. "I'm also looking forward to competing in the Big East Conference."

Sherwood will be competing in the long jump, triple jump, and the heptathlon.

"I owe much of my track success to all the amazing coaches I've had at Prospect," she said. "Those included Dave Wurster, Pete Wintermute, Lance Burmeister, Suzette Sanecki and Andy Weis."

Softball

Wisconsin-Oshkosh sophomore Sara Brunlieb (Rolling Meadows) was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference softball pitcher of the week.

Brunlieb compiled a 4-0 record and a 1.68 ERA in five appearances to help Oshkosh reach 28 victories (28-10 record) for the season.

She pitched 25 innings, including all seven during UW-Oshkosh's 5-1 victory over UW-La Crosse. She allowed 9 hits to the Eagles while striking out 10.

Brunlieb also hurled a five-inning shutout during the Titans' 13-0 win over Ripon College and allowed just 2 hits while totaling 5 strikeouts.

• North Central junior pitcher Andrea Starr (Elk Grove) earned College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin pitcher of the year honors after leading the conference with a 1.34 ERA and a 9-2 record in conference games.

Women's water polo

Villanova junior goalie Julie Conrath (Fremd) and the Division I Wildcats concluded their season with the most wins (19) in program history.

Although the Wildcats lost in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, Conrath was named to the all-tournament team as a result of 31 saves during the two-game playoff.

The reigning IHSA individual record holder for the most goalie saves in a season (427), Conrath is also now Villanova's all-time season record holder with the most saves (365) and was the 2015 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference saves leader.

She was also voted co-MVP by her teammates.

In addition to being named to the all-tournament team, Conrath was again named to the MAAC All-Academic team. She is studying chemical engineering and has earned Villanova University dean's list honors every semester.

Last summer, Conrath interned in Alberta, Canada, conducting field research on the environmental effects of petroleum production around the tar sands region near the terminal of the Keystone Pipeline.

This summer she has an internship with an engineering consultancy focused on delivering sustainable solutions to industrial clients.

IBCA awards

Hersey's Mary Fendley, Prospect's Ashley Graham, Conant's Dierdre Naughton, Fremd's Dave Yates and Buffalo Grove's Steve Kolodziej earned coach of the year honors by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association at Saturday's Hall of Fame banquet at Illinois State.

Men's tennis

Augustana freshman Eric Pohl (Fremd) was selected as the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin "Player of the Week" in men's tennis.

Pohl went 5-1 during the week, picking up wins in both singles and doubles play as Augustana defeated Millikin 7-2. He defeated Emerick Fulton at No. 2 singles 7-6. 6-3 and won at doubles 9-7. Later that day, he went 2-0 at No. 1 doubles.

Women's golf

Bradley freshman Ally Scaccia (Prospect) carded two 83s and finished in a tie for 21st (242) at the Missouri Valley Conference women's golf championship Tuesday. Junior teammate Allison Walsh (Prospect) was 44th in the field at 254, finishing out play with an 88.

Allison played in all 11 of the Braves' tournaments this year.

Illinois State freshman Kiley Walsh (Prospect) had her best tournament (77, 83, 75; 235) of the year, placing seventh overall in the MVC championship.

• The North Central College women's golf team finished its spring season last week with a dual-match victory over Aurora University, 359-399, at Springbrook Golf Course in Naperville. North Central sophomore Paige Candra (Palatine), who is majoring in Interactive Media Studies, competed in six events during the fall season, finishing with a stroke average of 95.3.

Baseball

Lewis junior Kurt Becker (Palatine) belted a two-out single in a 6-3 loss to Grand Valley State as freshman Ethan Bloom (Schaumburg) scored on the play.

Men's track

Lewis sophomore Michael Leet (Prospect) set an NCAA Provisional and finished second overall in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during the first day of action of the Great Lakes Valley Conference outdoor track and field championships.

Men's lacrosse

Augustana junior Jonathan Bryk (Fremd) shares the lead in ground balls with 44 for the Vikings who won the inaugural College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin tournament and are currently 14-4.

Women's track

Augustana senior Becca Sund (Palatine) was third in the 1500-meter run (4:41.30) at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championships in Wheaton. Augustana placed fourth in the team standings.

jleusch@dailyherald.com

Finally...

When I was a junior in high school, the first story I had published in the school newspaper was the announcement of Ron Cregier as the new head coach for St. Viator's boys basketball team.

It is a privilege to announce 35 years later Cregier's induction into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame this past Saturday at Illinois State University in Normal.

Speaking of announcing, Cregier has also done his share as the public address announcer for athletic events at Fremd High School, where he serves as a math teacher.

He began his coaching career at Mt. Carmel in 1972 and served as a head coach at Schaumburg High School for 13 years and assistant at Fremd for 14 more. Cregier also coached at Harper.

He is retiring from teaching this year after 42 years.

"I am really grateful for all the opportunities I had," Cregier said last winter to the Daily Herald's Dick Quagliano. "I really appreciate Bob (Widlowski) and Fred (Allman) for nominating me."

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