Softball: Fremd's Freveletti commits to St. John's
Anna Freveletti has known for the last few years she wanted to play big-time college softball.
The Fremd junior just didn't know it would be in New York.
Freveletti has committed to St. John's University's Division I softball team in Queens, N.Y.
"When I thought about where I might go to college in New York was not the place that immediately came to mind," said the Fremd right fielder. "But I have visited the campus several times and loved it."
Freveletti has always loved the sport but wanted to make sure she matched it up with the academic side of things.
"It was a matter of finding the right fit from an academics stand point and softball program," she said. "It turned out that St. John's is a great fit for me and just so happens to be in New York."
It also just so happens that St. John's has a quite a successful program in softball.
"They have been to the Big East Conference Championship the last four years in a row," Freveletti said. "I really wanted to be a part of a winning program. I really like the coaching staff, too."
She has been to a couple of the St. John's camps.
"The coaches are all great to work with and really supportive of the players," Freveletti said. "St. John's has a great reputation in the area of the sciences. I am considering either their biomedical sciences, radiologic sciences or pharmacy majors."
Freveletti began playing at nine years old when her father started the softball program at her grade school (Holy Family Catholic Academy).
"My mom played in high school, too, and they both supported me a lot once I showed some interest and had some success," Freveletti said. "Once I started playing and liked it so much I wanted to keep playing so I then started playing travel ball as well as with my school team."
Last summer, when her Wheatland Spikes Showcase travel team was playing in a showcase tournament in New York, Freveletti was noticed by the St. John's coaching staff. That led to her attending one of the Red Storm's camps last fall and in the winter.
Freveletti feels fortunate for all the support, guidance and instruction she has received over the last several years.
" I play for a great high school program at Fremd with excellent coaches," she said. "I play for the Wheatland Spikes travel team where I have great coaching, too.
"My head coach, Bill Chval, is always pushing me to get better and working with me on all parts of my game. Plus I get to work with Margie Wright who is the Wheatland Spikes Director of Player Development. She was the head coach at Fresno State for 25 years, won over 1000 games and is in the Hall of Fame for fastpitch softball. She has taught me what it takes to play softball at the Division I level and pushed me to play at that level. I also have a great hitting instructor, Dan Frega, who I work with almost every week. They all have inspired me to be the best player I can be and supported my goal of playing Division I softball.
Adrian recognized
Fremd senior Missy Adrian was awarded the District 211 Jaymes Huddleston Memorial Scholarship.
Jaymes was an outstanding athlete and student at Fremd and was selected to the 2005 IHSA All-Academic Team but passed away in his sleep before the award was announced.
The scholarship is awarded each year to the Fremd Student athlete nominated to the IHSA All State Academic Team for their exceptional athletic and academic performance.
Adrian, who will play basketball at Bradley University, has been an all-conference basketball and soccer player at Fremd.
Pride of the Wolf Pack
Last month, Thomas Middle School held its fifth annual 'Pride of the Wolf Pack' assembly to honor graduates who went on to play Division 1 or professional sports.
This year's honorees were 2005 grad Patrick Hyde, who went on to play baseball at Northern Kentucky, and Nell Boyd, who played tennis at Drake University.
Past honorees have been Mike Myers (Iowa State University and MLB), 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 (ISU diving), Luke Fabrizius (Dayton basketball), Gillian Falknor (Bradley volleyball), Ben Brust (Wisconsin basketball) and Scott Kelley (Penn State baseball).
Softball
Missouri-St. Louis seniors Sara Kern (Wheeling) and Ryan Logan (Palatine) are part of a graduating class that leaves with a four-year record of 192-40.
They both ended their careers with base hits, RBI and great defensive plays when the No. 25-ranked Tritons (42-15) suffered a heartbreaking 7-5 loss to Wayne State, which scored 6 runs on 7 hits in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 4-1 deficit in the NCAA Midwest Regional No. 1 championship game.
Wayne State got a quick run in the first inning but a 2-run single by Logan in the top of the second turned the lead in UMSL's favor.
A solo home run from Kern in the fourth put the Tritons ahead 3-1.
Logan came through again in the sixth, driving in an insurance run with a double that scored Kern from first base.
Logan finished his collegiate career 2-for-3 at the plate with 3 RBI while Kern added 2 hits and scored 3 runs.
• Illinois Wesleyan sophomore Julie Josten (Fremd) had an RBI single in the seventh inning of Game 2 and a RBI double in the 11th inning of Game 3 (6-2 win) as the Titans won a three-game series with Transylvania University in the super regional in Lexington, Kent.
The Titans are returning to the Division III College World Series, this year in Oklahoma City this weekend.
Water polo
Seniors Alec Burke and Cam Rosas of Conant have committed to play collegiately at Long Beach State University.
Burke led Tim Daniel's Conant boys team to a second-place MSL West finish and an appearance in the Hoffman Estates sectional championship game.
Rosas, a standout goalie, was a key as Justin Bickus' Conant girls team won the MSL West; the Cougars also played in the sectional championship game.
Both the Long Beach State men's and women's teams are coached by Gavin Arroyo.
Ulrich camp
Illinois Basketball Coaches Association hall of famer John Ulrich, now in his 45th year coaching, is once again running his high level skills camps this summer at three locations.
Camps will be at Immanuel Lutheran in Palatine, at St. Hubert in Hoffman Estates and at St. Alphonsus in Prospect Heights.
Ulrich's teams have won numerous national and state championships.
For more information go to johnulrichbasketball.com or call coach Ulrich at (847) 204-5015.
Women's track
Augustana sophomore Ashley Talken (Wheeling) placed fifth at 9-9¼ in the pole vault at the Augie Midwest Twilight Qualifier.
Men's track
Hope College junior Ben Pedersen (Prospect) raced to a school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the North Central College Dr. Keeler Invitational in Naperville.
He clocked a seventh-place time of 907:65, passing the former mark of 908:89 set in 2008 by Rob Bailey.
Pederson finished 17 seconds faster than his seed time at the nonscoring meet
• Augustana junior Evan Murphy (Buffalo Grove) took second in the triple jump with a leap of 44-11¾ at the Augie Twilight Qualifier. Vikings junior Josh Yamamoto (Fremd) took second in the 400 intermediate hurdles in: 53.23.
• North Central junior Adam Poklop (Palatine) will compete in the high jump at NCAA Division III Outdoor National Championships in Geneva, Ohio. Poklop's season-best clearance of 6-9½ ties him for the 11th-best mark in the high jump.
Rugby
The Arlington Stallions advanced to the semifinal round of the Rugby Illinois Tier One State Championship tournament with an impressive 67-0 win over Mt. Carmel.
The Stallions were led by fly-half Willis Goodwin (Rolling Meadows) and hooker Joe Fasolo (Hersey), who each scored three tries.
"Everything came together for us today," said Stallions coach Paul Bergman. "From each individuals' focus to the corrections we have had to make in response to a few hiccups we've had this season."
The Stallions received more good news this week in the naming of Fasolo and scrum-half Max Derry (Wheeling) to the Tier One All-State Team.
The Stallions semifinal opponent this week will be the Neuqua Valley Wildcats.
• Email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com