Barbian, Hucker keep Augustana on winning track

Augustana's track and field team got its indoor season under way by winning the Sol Butler Invitational in Dubuque, Iowa, with two local athletes making contributions.

The Vikings won the 12-team event with 103 points to edge past William Penn (90.5).

Vikings junior Kevin Barbian (Libertyville) was fifth in the shot put (50 feet, 4½ inches) while Junior Kyle Hucker (Wauconda) was part of the 4x200 relay team that won with a time of 1:31.61. He was also part of the 4x400 relay team that took third in 3:28.35.

Baseball

College baseball is right around the corner and Jeff Lindberg can't wait.

The Wauconda graduate is pursuing a degree in sport and wellness management with a minor in coaching at Trinity International University in Deerfield.

Lindberg will be a four-year starting shortstop with a career average. of .318. Last season he set career highs with a .344 average and a .391 slugging percentage.

He also posted new career bests in runs, hits, RBI, and stolen bases. Lindberg was ranked fourth in stolen bases and seventh in assists in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference while being named a player of the week in the CCAC.

Lindberg has also been gaining coaching experience during his collegiate year. He has been with Players Edge for two years as a coach and intern. Last season, he was an assistant coach for the 16-under team and will be a head coach at the same level for the 2017 season.

After this senior season, Lindberg will be in his second season coaching in the Northern Knights travel program. They have been training and practicing since December. They are based out of Players Edge in Mundelein.

This will be his first year as a head coach for the Knights.

Men's basketball

Carthage junior forward Brad Kruse (Lake Zurich) scored 11 points with a team-high 7 rebounds in the Red Men's 81-76 loss at Carroll University.

Football

Bowling Green junior Scotty Miller (Barrington) enjoyed a big 2016 season, leading the team in pass receiving with 74 receptions for 968 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Miller had two games with 11 catches each (Eastern Michigan for 148 yards and Miami of Ohio for 178). His three-touchdown games were against Toledo and North Dakota. Miller also ran back 19 kickoffs for 336 yards.

Park District basketball

The Gurnee Park District is offering adult open basketball from 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at the Woodland Middle School in Gurnee. The fee is $5 per night. For additional information contact Ron Dorsey at rdorsey@gurneeparkdistrict.com.

Women's volleyball

A national champion volleyball player is headed to play for the Trinity International University women's volleyball team next fall.

Katelyn Somers, who set the Harper women's volleyball team to a NJCAA national title last fall, has signed and received a full athletic scholarship to the Evangelical Christian liberal arts institution in Deerfield.

The Buffalo Grove High School graduate enjoyed a terrific run two years at Harper, leading the nation in assists in 2016 with 1,304.

In 2015, she finished second in the nation with 1,496 for a career total of 2800, and a Harper College career record.

She recorded 56 double-doubles as a Hawk.

Harper'ss dream season of 43-1 ended when it defeated Ridgewater College 25-21, 25-22, 25-19 in the national championship match in Minnesota.

"It was an amazing season," said Somers, who was named to the national all-tourney team. "I was so proud to be a part of the team and the journey we went on. I am so thankful to not only my team but all the support I received from friends, family and the fantastic coaches at Harper."

Somers praised Harper's academics and coach Bob Vilsoet's program.

"I would encourage local players to consider Harper as their college," she said. "Not only is the volleyball program great but so is the rest of the Harper experience."

Somers visited many schools to see where she wanted to continue her volleyball career and education.

"I really believe I made the best decision I could," she said. "I cannot wait to start playing volleyball at this amazing school. The coach is really positive and honest and the players I met have been so nice."

Hamann to Hall

John Hamann, the late father of Prospect girls golf coach Jim Hamann, has been voted into the Willowbrook High School Athletics Hall of Fame as a coach.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony and celebration will be Thursday, Feb. 2 in Lombard.

John Hamann coached under-level baseball at Willowbrook. One of his players was pitcher Dan Schatzeder, who won game six of the 1987 Twins in the World Series.

He was one of the most successful varsity basketball coaches in Willowbrook history. His teams were always filling the gym to maximum capacity.

In the 1974-75 season opener, coach Hamann's Warriors defeated defending state champions and the No. 1 ranked team in the state, Proviso East.

That legendary game is still discussed on a regular basis today.

Hamann coached the boys basketball team from 1971 to 1986. He also coached the boys golf team at Willowbrook for 38 years, known as one of the most respected golf coaches in the state.

John Hamann passed away in 2010 but his coaching legacy lives on through his family.

His son Jeff was a long time girls golf coach (16 years) at Maine South High School and is currently in his 21st year of coaching high school basketball.

Jim, a math teacher at Prospect, coached basketball for 13 years and is currently in his 15th year coaching at the Mt. Prospect High School. Jim is one of the most successful girls golf coaches in the state with titles in 2011 and 2013.

John Hamann's youngest child, Julie, is a grade school teacher at St. Celestine School in Elmwood Park.

John's daughters-in-law Gina and Katie are also high school teachers. John's wife Jalaine, and the entire Hamann family fund the John Hamann Athletic Scholarship Fund that gives two $2,500 scholarships every year (one girl and one boy) to Willowbrook High School student athletes in honor of coach John Hamann.

Please let us know

Lake County sports fans, please send in news items about former local prep athletes excelling in college athletics to jleusch@dailyherald.com.