Top pick Naughton eager to start pro phase with Red Stars

Always a pro while starring for the Elk Grove High School and Notre Dame University soccer teams, Katie Naughton is now taking her game to the professional level.

The Chicago Red Stars made Naughton their first pick in the National Women's Soccer League 2016 draft, when they selected her as the 19th overall pick in the second round.

Naughton will be playing for another local product, head coach Rory Dames, a St. Viator and St. Louis University graduate.

"Being drafted is just an indescribable feeling," said Naughton on the Chicago Red Stars website. "Being able to have the support of my family and friends by playing in Chicago is amazing.

"First year as a Red Stars pro is a huge new adventure. I will be able to have my family and friends to lean on with any ups and downs. I am ready to go."

A three-year captain at Notre Dame, Naughton started every single contest for the Fighting Irish.

She not only defended the best forwards but was a major threat on set pieces, totaling 11 goals in her career.

"I have graduated from school," she said. "All my focus is on this next step and starting my professional career."

A 22-year-old center back, Naughton will train alongside U.S. International and Red Stars center back Julie Johnston.

"I am so excited to play with her; she is just such a talented player," Naughton said of Johnston. "Julie will be a huge mentor that I cannot even imagine."

Naughton also knows the Red Stars other prominent center back, Sam Johnson,

"I know she will also help me out tremendously," Naughton said on the website. "I can't wait to grow as a player and specifically a center back."

Since 2009, Naughton has been a part of the U.S. National Youth teams, most recently with the U-20 team where she was a starter on the back line.

Naughton was the only Illinois soccer player to make the Women's U20 World Cup Team for 2014 (played in Canada).

Lauren Caldrone commits

Prospect sophomore Lauren Caldrone has committed to Northwestern University's softball program.

Caldrone played every inning of every game at third base for the Knights last season. She hit .291 with 2 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs, 25 runs scored, and 14 RBI.

"I can't say enough about LC's first year," said Prospect coach Jim Adair. "She made some tremendous adjustments during the first part of the season and I'm looking forward to seeing her emerge as a dominant player during the upcoming season, She trains and works extremely hard and I think Northwestern made a fantastic choice."

Lexi Ross commits

Schaumburg senior Lexi Ross will continue her volleyball career and study athletic training at Millikin University in Decatur. The 5-foot-4 senior middle blocker was an all-area selection last fall for Saxons coach Jeanette Pancratz.

Ross finished the season as the top team's middle blocker with 100 kill blocks. She also had 112 kills and served at a 90.6 percent efficiency with 23 aces.

Ross is currently playing basketball for coach Curtis Goodwin's Saxons' varsity team which is 13-8.

Girls swimming

Indiana University-Purude University Indianapolis freshman Allison Cicero (Conant) won the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley and finished second in the 200 backstroke in a 168-129 victory over Youngstown State in a Summit League dual meet in Indianapolis. Cicero went 1:01.11 in the 100 back and 2:11.57 to win the IM.

In the 200 backstroke, she was timed in 2:10.14 while placing second.

Women's softball

Winona State senior Hanna Lythberg (Prospect) was tabbed as the NSIC Preseason Pitcher of the Year and her team is the top pick in the 2016 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches' poll for the third straight season.

The Warriors are coming off their ninth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a 46-14 record, including a 24-5 mark in NSIC play.

Lythberg led the NSIC last year with a 1.46 ERA and her 23-8 record was the second-most victories in the league.

She was a first-team All-NSIC selection and earned both NFCA and Daktronics first-team All-Region accolades.

In two seasons with the Warriors, Lythberg has compiled 45 victories.

The Warriors open the 2016 season with eight games at the RCTC Dome in Rochester, beginning Feb. 16 with a doubleheader against Grand View College.

Men's hockey

Notre Dame freshman Bobby Nardella of Rosemont recently had a 5-point weekend (2 goals, 3 assists) as the Irish increased their unbeaten streak to 10 games (7-0-3) following wins over two wins over Merrimack.

Women's hockey

St. Cloud State senior goalie Katie Fitzgerald (Maine West) was nominated for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Defensive Player of the Week. She collected 60 saves, a 1.00 GAA and .968 save percentage in SCSU's sweep at Ohio State.

Women's basketball

St. Louis sophomore guard Jackie Kemph (Rolling Meadows) scored a career-high 24 points in a 77-66 Atlantic 10 Conference victory over visiting Saint Joseph.

Kemph was 9-of-16 from the field overall and 2-of-3 from 3-point range. She added 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

She was named Atlantic 10 Conference women's basketball co-Player of the Week by the conference office and A-10 Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.

Kemph averaged 20.5 points, 7 assists and 4 in two games (17 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds vs. La Salle), extending the Billikens' winning streak to six. She shot 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field overall and 67 percent (4-of-6) from 3-point distance.

For the season, Kemph leads the Billikens in scoring (15.4 ppg, fifth in the A-10) and assists (6.9 apg, second in the A-10, seventh in the nation). She also ranks among the conference leaders in assist-turnover ratio (fourth, 2.19-to-1), 3-point field goal percentage (12th, .352) and free throw percentage (14th, .748).

Kemph has recorded four double-digit assist totals this season - three of which were part of points-assists double-doubles - and five scoring performances of 21 or more points.

Teammate Jenny Vliet (Rolling Meadows) had 7 points, 1 steal and 1 rebound against Saint Joseph.

• Alabama-Birmingham freshman guard Deanna Kuzmanic (Wheeling) matched a career-best with 15 points (three 3-pointers) in the Blazers' 53-51 loss to North Texas. It was Kuzmanic's fourth straight game with 15 or more points.

She ranks second among all NCAA freshmen in the nation, averaging 2.6 3-pointers per game.

• Cornell College junior Diamond Boyd (Elk Grove) and senior Maggie Hogen (Hersey) recorded double-doubles in a 63-44 victory over Lake Forest College.

Boyd collected 11 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocked shots while Hogen posted 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior Kellie Kuzmanic (Wheeling) collected 14 rebounds, 7 points and 5 assists for the Rams (12-4, 9-2 in the Midwest Conference).

Women's track

Augustana freshman Ashley Talken (Wheeling) was sixth (9 feet, 2 inches) in the vault competition at Monmouth College's Midwest Invitational.

Men's track

Augustana sophomore Josh Yamamoto (Fremd) anchored the winning 800-meter relay team at Monmouth College's Midwest Invitational.

Vikings senior Ethan Koch (Prospect) finished second in the 3,000-meter while teammate Evan Murphy (Buffalo Grove) took second in the triple jump (43-1¾).

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