Rugby championships at Melas Park
Rugby is returning to the Olympics this August in Rio de Janeiro for the first time in 92 years.
Guess which country is the two-time defending champion?
The United States brought home gold medals in 1920 and 1924.
Local fans can get a little appetizer of the sport in our own suburbs this month.
The Arlington Stallions youth rugby club will be hosting the 2016 Illinois Olympic Rugby State Championships on July 9 at Melas Park in Mt. Prospect. Admission is $10 and parking is free. Competition will take place among high school boys and girls and the under-14 boys categories.
For more information, visit www.arlingtonstallionsrugby.com.
The Stallions are excited to host this year's event because it is the year rugby returns to the Olympics and it is their chance to defend 2014 and 2015 state championships in their home territory.
"Although we are young, we have fast and highly skilled players," said Stallions Olympic Rugby coach Kevin Lydon. "It is an exciting opportunity. All of us would like to send long-term leaders Jon Toriumi (Buffalo Grove High School) and Spencer Krueger (Hersey) off to college with a state championship."
Toriumi is an Illinois recruit while Krueger will play for Ohio State.
Black commits
St. Viator sophomore midfielder Elijah Black has committed to The Ohio State Buckeyes lacrosse team after an outstanding performance at their prospects camp.
A three-sport athlete (football and wrestling), Black is the first class of 2019 lacrosse prospect in the state of Illinois to commit to a division one program. He is the fourth player in the brief history of Viator's lacrosse program to commit to a D-1 program.
Black had an outstanding freshman year for the Lions, notching 22 goals and 6 assists for a squad that finished third in the IHLSA Class A.
A Mundelein native, he also plays running back for the Lions football team and had a terrific freshman wrestling campaign.
"I think Elijah has some incredible God-given gifts but his work ethic and competitive nature are just as special," said Lions coach Bill Sanford. "He, and his parents Juneal and Ken, have made a lot of sacrifices to get to this point.
"As he gets older, I believe Elijah will be a leader within all of the programs at St. Viator.
"What I like most about him is that he knows he can be an impact guy in any given competition, but he is humble and coachable. He reminds me of Cole Kmet (Viator tight end on the football team who is committed to Notre Dame) in that way. I also think Ohio State is a great fit for Elijah as he has a lot of family in the state of Ohio that will undoubtedly come to see him play.
"I am looking forward to seeing him prosper the next few years and with his talented teammates beside him, helping Viator remain one of the top lacrosse teams in the state of Illinois and across the Midwest."
Volleyball
Harper College's Meghan Chartier (Buffalo Grove) was recently recognized by the National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators as a 2015-2016 NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete honorable mention.
Chartier was the 2014-15 Harper College female athlete of the year and named a 2015 NJCAA Division III first-team all-American.
In the fall of 2015, Chartier was named first team all-conference and all-region. She was the defensive mainstay for a Hawks program that won 34 matches in 2015 and 66 matches over the last two years. She totaled 809 digs (first in nation) in a nation-high 167 sets (4.84 digs/set, 19th in nation). As a second-year player, she also played a big part in an improved Hawks service game, going 620-of-662 (93.7 percent) with 47 aces.
In conference play, Chartier had 242 digs (5.76 digs/set) and 179-of-190 serving (94 percent) with 15 aces (first on team).
In the 2014 season, Chartier earned First Team All-Conference, All-Region, and Region IV All-Tournament Team accolades. The libero was also named to the All-Tournament Team at every tournament that had the award.
She led the nation in digs with 850, breaking a Harper all-time single-season digs record. Chartier was also named the NJCAA Division III National Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 6-12.
In addition to her successes on the volleyball court, Chartier exhibits excellent qualities of leadership and citizenship. In her time at Harper, she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a note taker. The note takers provide assistance to students with learning disabilities.
She has been coaching volleyball since she was 16, coaching for the Top Flight Volleyball Club, EVP Tour, and the Palatine Park District. She also coaches at camps and gives private lessons.
Chartier graduated from Harper in May with an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts. In the fall, she'll be transferring to Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I., where she will play volleyball and continue her studies.
She will receive the Presidential Scholarship and the Roger Williams University Presidential Transfer Merit Scholarship, along with the Roger Williams Grant.
"Meghan is a model student athlete," said Harper College Director of Athletics and Fitness Doug Spiwak. "She embodies what we strive for as athletic administrators. Meghan took the opportunities that community college athletics offers and excelled in the classroom and on the court.
"She completed her education at Harper with a degree, earned numerous awards and transferred to a four-year school with the opportunity to continue playing and earn a bachelor's degree. Nominating a student athlete with her character and determination, to my colleagues, was an honor for me as well. Her accomplishments highlight our Athletics Mission and what we represent to our community."