Schaumburg's Young helps USC extend winning tradition
One of the major reasons former Daily Herald all-area honorary volleyball captain Emily Young made the decision to attend Southern California when she was a junior at Schaumburg High School was for the school's history of athletic excellence.
Since 1912, a USC athlete has won a gold medal in every Summer Olympics.
USC has produced more Olympians, overall medalists, and gold medalists than any other university in the United States.
The Trojan athletes have also thrived in team sports, easily winning more than 100 national championships when Young arrived on campus.
And guess who now has played a part in one of those national crowns?
Last spring, Young was a member of the Trojans' national championship sand volleyball team.
"There is pride, history, and distinction in putting on a USC jersey," Young said. "That is why hoisting USC's 123rd national championship ring is so meaningful - it's tradition.
"Winning the AVCA collegiate sand volleyball national championships was a feeling I will never forget. We were so proud to win, but more so, we are proud to be Trojans."
Emily's parents, Tim and Marge, have to be so proud of their only daughter. Not only has she excelled in volleyball, she has been a standout student already making an impact in her field of business administration.
A contributor to the USC Student affairs blog, Young is completing a master's degree in communication management.
Last year, she served as a USC sports properties intern for Fox Sports Los Angeles, designing strategic branding campaigns for potential clients and partners utilizing USC Athletics multimedia platforms and events as well as other key duties.
Two years ago, she was a marketing on-air promotions intern, logging sports clips for potential use in advertising campaigns and to recreate stadium shots. She maintained an accurate inventory of merchandise purchased for commercial shoots.
Young also served as an assistant coach for the Club Troy Volleyball Club in Los Angeles in 2012. She designed and implemented weekly practice plans for a 16-under team.
Her collegiate years have also included an international experience she will never forget.
With fundraising and support from the athletic administration and donors, Young received the opportunity to travel with the USC sand volleyball team on the program's first European tour.
She called the 13-day European tour truly remarkable.
"We traveled across Italy, Slovenia, and Austria, played in two volleyball tournaments, and created numerous memories together," Young said. "Our group was blessed that our tour guide, Federica Tonon, is a professional Italian beach volleyball player who took the time to show our team the ins and outs of international competition and favorite local spots."
Young said it is too hard to choose a favorite destination on the trip.
"But the best part was sharing every moment with my best friends and teammates," she said. " Even in lulls, they make everything much more fun."
The Trojans also had fun on the court, where they won the Ljubljana Intercontinental Beach Clash, beating Europe 25-23 in the three-day (May 20-22) pairs tournament at Sportni Park Ludus Crnuce in the Slovenian capital.
The tour began in Italy, with matches in the Bibione Beach Volleyball Marathon that included 256 women's pairs teams. The Women of Troy also made sightseeing stops in Venice, Verona and Austria (Klagenfurt and Vienna) before returning home.
Young currently makes Los Angeles her home.
In the fall of 2014, she completed a four-year career with the USC indoor volleyball team. Young was named to the 2014 Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 first team.
She was a three-time Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention and served as a team captain during her senior season.
Young helped the Women of Troy to four NCAA tournament appearances.
Women's golf
Illinois State sophomore Kiley Walsh (Prospect) led the way for the Redbirds at the Pinehurst Challenge in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The tournament was hosted by the College of Charleston and held at the No. 1 course.
Walsh compiled an individual score of 3-over-par 219 (73-72-74), finishing tied for 29th on the individual leader board.
"We have a huge bright spot in our program right now, and her name is Kiley Walsh," said Redbirds coach Darby Sligh on the school's website. "She played so solidly for three rounds. She continues to push us forward and raise the bar each week. I'm looking forward to moving ahead and getting work in these next few weeks, heading into our winter season. We have a lot of work ahead of us."
Walsh compiled a 74.1 stroke average for 12 rounds over four different tournaments in the fall season.
Illinois State resumes play in February when it travels to Venice, Florida to play Illinois in the annual Illinois Challenge.
Women's soccer
Dominican University senior Kelli Iovino (Prospect) was named Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Student-Athlete of the week for women's soccer for the second time this season.
Iovino netted 3 consecutive goals in 3:28, the sixth-fastest consecutive 3 goals by the same player in NCAA Division III women's soccer history.
On the year, Iovino has 14 goals and 5 assists for a total of 33 points to rank second in the NACC in goals and points and fourth in assists. Dominican currently leads the NACC conference with a 7-0 record and 9-4 overall.
• Lewis sophomore Elena Cukurs (Prospect) redirected a cross from senior Maggie Moran (Rolling Meadows) into the goal for the finals goal of the Flyers' 3-1 victory at Missouri S&T in the Great Lakes Valley Conference match.
Football
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore quarterback Jack Warner (Hersey) completed 13 of 21 passes for 106 yards in a 21-7 win over Augustana. Warner opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior Andrew Javorka.
Women's tennis
Augustana junior Dana Goggin (Buffalo Grove) was named player of the week in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.
Goggin finished 6-0, including a 4-0 record against CCIW competition. She beat Monmouth's Katherine Hinman (6-0, 6-0) at No. 1 singles and then followed with a pair of No. 2 singles victories over Elmhurst's Chiara Gaudio (6-0, 6-0) and North Central's Miranda Grizaffi (6-2, 6-1). Goggin then teamed with Aileen MacDonald at No. 1 doubles to defeat Hinman and Liddy Wilson (8-0), Elmhurst's Ava Kolman and Rachel Rettger (8-4) and North Central's Clare O'Connor and Kelsey Forkin (9-7).
Rolling Meadows feeder
Rolling Meadows girls basketball will be hosting a youth basketball coaching clinic on Sunday, Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Rolling Meadows High School. The Mustangs girls basketball staff will highlight drills used in the high school program. Any area youth coaches are invited to attend. Contact ryan.kirkorsky@d214.org for more information.
Hersey feeder
The Hersey Junior Huskies boys basketball tryout dates will be Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15.
On Nov 14: Sixth grade: 2 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.; Seventh grade: 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.; Eighth grade: 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
On Nov. 15: Sixth grade: noon to 1:30 p.m.; Seventh grade: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Eighth grade: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
All tryouts will take place in the East Gym.
Teams will be chosen upon completion of the Sunday try out. Immediately following the Sunday tryouts there will be a mandatory Player/ Parent meeting in the Hersey Black Box Theater for boys selected.
Junior wrestling
The Jr. Cougar Wrestling Club will hold registration on Oct. 22 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Nov. 10 at 5:30 p.m. at the Conant High School wrestling room, enter through door 19. Practice begins on November 10 at 6:15 p.m.
All third through eighth grade students are welcome. For more information go to www.jrcougars.webs.com or contact Brad Bessemer at bessemerm@comcast.net.
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