Keller kicks it up at Gibson Invitational

Rolling Meadows graduate Morgan Keller enjoyed one of the finest weeks of her college career at Illinois State.

The senior Redbird, who was the 2013 Daily Herald Northwest Female Athlete of the Year, was rewarded by being named Missouri Valley Conference track and field athlete of the week.

Keller was honored for her performance at the Gibson Invitational in St. Louis, where she had a spectacular showing in the women's shot put.

She won the event and broke the meet record with a mark at 15.29m (50-02.00).

Keller's mark is leading the Missouri Valley Conference and ranked 24th on the NCAA West qualifying list. She also had a stellar performance in the women's discus throw, winning the event with a personal-best mark at 50.52m (165-09).

That performance ranked second in the Missouri Valley Conference and 33rd on the NCAA West qualifying list.

Women's golf

Illinois State junior Kiley Walsh (Prospect) carded a 1-over-par 73 (35-38) in the final round to finish in fourth place at the Missouri Valley Conference women's golf championship.

Her final round on the par-72, 6,214-yard Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Giradeau, Mo., was an 8-over-par 224 (75-76-73).

Walsh's performance earned her All-MVC accolades. The 224 was also Walsh's lowest three-round total of the season. She carded a 1-under-par 35 over the first nine holes with 2 birdies and shot a 2-over-38 on the back, with 2 more birdies.

Illinois State's score in the final round was the second lowest of the final 18 holes in the 10-team field. The Redbirds finished in fourth place with a three-round score of 945 (317-329-299), 2 strokes behind Bradley for third place.

• Bradley junior Ally Scaccia (Prospect) also made the all-conference team and ended the season on a high note with a 3-over 75. Scaccia missed her fifth top-10 finish of the year by 2 strokes, tying for 11th in the field at 235. Her 76.24 season stroke average ranks ninth among Bradley records and her 28 sub-80 rounds in 2016-17 tied for the third-best total in school history

Missouri State ran away from the field to win the championship with a 913 (302-314-297), 20 strokes less than second-place Wichita State.

Bradley's final round 309 was the fourth-lowest team score of the day and helped the Braves finish in third at 943.

Softball

Illinois junior second baseman Leigh Farina (Fremd) recently led the Fighting Illini softball team to 4 wins to earn her first career Big Ten Softball Player of the Week honor.

Included in the 4 wins was a 3-0 series sweep over Michigan State.

It is the Illini's second conference player of the week this season. Junior Annie Fleming earned the distinction following the season-opening weekend.

"Leigh Farina worked extremely hard for this honor," said Illini coach Tyra Perry on the school's website. "We have pushed her every day in practice and she does everything in her power to meet and then beat the challenge. The best is yet to come for Leigh."

The Rolling Meadows native registered a .636 batting average for the week (7-for-11), including belting a pair of doubles with 4 RBI, 2 runs and 9 total bases. Farina posted an .818 slugging percentage and a .667 on-base percentage while also totaling 9 putouts and 14 assists and fielding three double plays.

Farina opened the MSU series with a pair of hits and an RBI before having a career day in a doubleheader sweep. For the twin bill, she posted an .833 batting average (5-for-6).

She equaled a career-high 2 RBI in Game 1 before recording a career-high 3 hits on Game 2. She totaled 3 RBI, 1 run and a 1.167 slugging percentage between the two games.

• Carthage sophomore infielder Hailey Rothstein (Conant) was named a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin softball player of the week.

Rothstein batted .583 (7-for-12) with 3 runs, 1 double, 2 home runs, 9 RBI and a 1.167 slugging percentage for the Lady Reds. She was 1-for-2 with 1 run, 4 RBI and 1 home run in a 10-0 win over Wheaton a combined 2-for-4 with 2 walks and 1 RBI in a doubleheader sweep of Carroll. She also went a combined 4-for-6 with 2 runs, 1 double, 1 home run and 4 RBI in a sweep of Ripon.

• Harper softball pitcher Isabelle McGuinnis (Hersey) nearly threw a perfect game in Game 2 of a doubleheader against Oakton but still fired a no-hitter in a 19-0 triumph. She completed the gem with just 57 pitches over 5 innings. She struck out 6 and walked none in the gem. McGuinnis also did well at the plate going 2-for-5 with 1 RBI and 4 runs scored.

Athletic training

A couple of professional trainers Todd and Kasia Ball of Palatine are helping local athletes receive professional training at a cost of $15 per hour. They offer sessions for in-season, out-of-season, and non-athletes looking to get fit and change their lifestyles.

They work with boys and girls from grades third through nine and want to make a difference in their athletic performance, most importantly teaching the youth the value of nutrition and their bodies.

The athlete's parents buy punch cards and can stop in whenever their sons or daughters want to work out so it does not conflict with their sports.

A 'BALL360' open house, located in downtown Palatine, will be held on May 1 and 3 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 345 N. Eric Street. For more information go to www.Ball360.org.

Men's volleyball

Elk Grove graduate Michael Kawa is a member of Dominican University which claimed the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League Tournament title and has received a bye to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight in Springfield, MA on April 28.

The program is only four years old and in addition to its athletic prowess, the Stars have received the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for the past three years.

Women's water polo

Monmouth junior Natallie Curtis (Hersey) earned her second Collegiate Water Polo Association all-conference honor for the Fighting Scots.

Curtis, a goalkeeper, named to the second team, turned in a season-high 17 saves against Utica on March 25 and has averaged over 10 saves per game while surrendering just under a program-best 8 goals per game.

She helped lead Monmouth to a program-best winning percentage and record-tying win total this season.

Wolf Pack pride

This Thursday is the fifth annual 'Pride of the Wolf Pack' assembly at Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights beginning at 8 a.m.

Thomas graduates who went on to play Division 1 or professional sports are honored.

This year, the honorees are 2005 grad Patrick Hyde, who played baseball at Hersey and Northern Kentucky, and Nell Boyd, a Buffalo Grove graduate who played tennis at Drake University.

So far, in the first five years, Thomas has honored Mike Myers (Iowa State and Major League baseball), Tom Nelson (Illinois State and NFL), Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame and NFL), Dave Corzine (DePaul and NBA), Brian McBride (St. Louis University, MLS, USMNT), Brandon Harwell (UIC baseball), Megan Fesl (Notre Dame volleyball), Annie Fesl (University of Cincinnati volleyball), Erin Rodriguez (Illinois swimming), Andrea DiPrima (Northwestern softball), Katelyn Prorok (Illinois State diving), Luke Fabrizius (Dayton basketball), Gillian Falknor (Bradley volleyball), Ben Brust (Wisconsin basketball) and Scott Kelley (Penn State baseball).

Eleven of the 15 former honorees will be at Thursday's assembly.

Men's lacrosse

Illinois Wesleyan senior midfielder Michael Julius (St. Viator) was named a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin men's lacrosse player of the week.

Julius won his second CCIW offensive honora after totaling 13 goals and 7 assists for the 3-0 Titans. He scored 2 goals with 2 assists in a 17-5 win over Augustana, followed by 6 goals and 3 assists in a 16-13 win over Whittier. He finished the week with 5 goals and 2 assists in a 23-15 win over Elmhurst.

Rugby

The Arlington Stallions recently moved into third place in the Suburban Conference in Rugby Illinois' Division One with two big wins.

Emphasizing a faster pace of play and attacking from across the entire field, the Stallions put up winning scores of 45-12 over former state champion Morton Mustangs and 73-7 against St. Ignatius.

"This has been a good turnaround after a disappointing opening day loss to New Trier," said coach Paul Bergman. "New Trier was certainly a wake-up call. Now we are playing the style we have striven to achieve."

The club travels Saturday to Georgetown, Illinois to take on division leader Notre Dame LaSallette.

• Email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com