Batavia alum Coffey helps Indiana Wesleyan to national title

Batavia graduate Canaan Coffey picked a heck of a time to start his men's basketball career.

Coffey is part of an Indiana Wesleyan University men's basketball team that recently won its third NAIA Division II title in five years with an 84-71victory over St. Francis (Indiana) in Sioux City, South Dakota.

Coffey played a role in the championship game where he scored 12 points to go with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. He was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the contest. Coffey was one of five players for Indiana Wesleyan to score in double digits in the title win.

For the season, Coffey played in all 38 of the squad's games and started 22 contests. He averaged a solid 7.1 points per game, while shooting .418 from the field. Coffey was even better from the 3-point line where he sank 66 of 156 attempts for a .423 clip. He ranked second on the team in 3-pointers made.

Indiana Wesleyan finished the season 31-7 overall.

Love, Gentry at Wright State: Wright State just completed its men's basketball season in the NCAA Tournament and Geneva alum Loudon Love and St. Charles East graduate Cole Gentry each contributed to the team's success. Love played in 35 contests and averaged 12.9 points per game, while averaging 9.7 rebounds per contest (a team high). He also led the team in blocks with 34. Gentry played in 25 games and averaged a solid 9.1 points per game while chipping in 65 assists and 35 steals.

Kuehl earns all-conference accolades: Geneva product Brian Kuehl recently was named to the all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors by virtue of placing among the Top 3 in at least one event at the conference indoor track and field championship meet. Kuehl is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's team.

Kuehl, a freshman at Whitewater, claimed the title in the 800 run with a mark of 1:55.20 and remained among the nation's Top 15 in the event.

Orange honored: Jacobs graduate Chrishawn Orange recently was named to the D3hoops' all-region third team and to the second team of the National Association of Basketball Coaches all-district team. Orange helped lead Augustana to a 25-6 record, the program's fourth straight CCIW title, a CCIW tournament title and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III tournament.

Orange finished second on the team in scoring at 15.6 points per game, rebounding at 4.5 per game, 3-point percentage (. 438) and steals (25). He was third in field-goal percentage (. 494) and assists (78). In NCAA tournament play, he averaged 16.0 points, a team-high 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting .513 from the field.

Orange, a two-time first-team all-CCIW pick, was a repeat selection to both the D3hoops and NABC teams. He also earned four-team all-American honors from D3hoops a year ago. He will enter his senior season at the school as the 16th-leading scorer in school history with 1,103 points and within range of school records for games played (119) and victories played in (98). Orange has played in 95 games and in 78 wins in his first three seasons.

Kisch at Upper Iowa: Burlington Central alum Emily Kisch is a sophomore pitcher at NCAA Division II Upper Iowa University. Kisch helped Upper Iowa get off to its best start in program history. Upper Iowa won 12 of it first 16 games. During that time frame, Kisch went 7-2, with one of the wins coming against previously No. 6-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan. Kisch currently has a 2.40 ERA in 61 ⅓ innings where she has fanned 55. Kisch also has 7 complete games.

Kisch had only 61 strikeouts last season in 150 innings. During the team's hot start, one of her losses came against No. 12-ranked Harding (2-0) and the other was to Rogers State, which had a 23-5 record at one point.

More Kisch: Emily Kisch's older brother, Sean, is a senior at Illinois College in Jacksonville where he has helped the school's boys' track and field team finish the indoor season with its best finish ever, a second-place showing at the Midwest Conference Indoor Championship.

Kisch finished third in the pole vault, clearing 13-6, but missed at 14-0. His personal record is 15-0. He then took fourth in the 60-meter hurdles, setting his PR at 8.86 seconds.

Kisch will graduate in May and will be heading off to Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (where he will start in July).

And more Kisch: Emily and Sean's older sister, Sarah, who played college softball and graduated from Millikin University, is playing in a mix-fast-pitch softball league in Arizona while she attends Franklin Pierce University. She will graduate in January 2019 with a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Off at College wants your help: Send information and/or statistics on Fox Valley area athletes playing collegiately to Mike Miazga at mjm890@gmail.com.