Sainz set for final year in college golf

Larkin product Carlos Sainz, Jr., had a summer to remember.

Sainz, now a senior on the Mississippi State men's golf team, qualified for the 2008 U.S. Amateur, which was played in late August at Pinehurst Golf Club in Pinehurst, N.C.

The U.S. Amateur played host to 312 golfers from all over the world. The winner and runner-up earned a chance to play in the Masters and U.S. Open.

Sainz finished tied for 109th place in the event with a score of 147, which included rounds of 76 and 71. He finished 7-over par at Pinehurst.

"I have been working hard this summer, which includes a strict diet and working out hard," Sainz told the Mississippi State athletic Web site (www.mstateathletics.com). "I have been playing more this summer than I have before and that has shown because as I play more, my scores continue to get lower."

Sainz also enjoyed success locally. He finished tied for eighth at the Illinois State Amateur Championship at Cantigny in Wheaton. Sainz finished with a 4-round total of 294, which included cards of 74, 72, 76 and 72.

His showing helped Sainz sew up the Chicago District Golf Association Player of the Year Points Presented By Gatorade championship. Sainz finished with 470 points, five better than John Ehrgott.

Sainz is one of 5 seniors who helped Mississippi State to a fifth-place finish in the Southeastern Conference last year and a fourth-place showing at the NCAA East Regional, which earned the squad a place in the NCAA Championship for the third time in program history.

"I am looking forward to our last season," Sainz told www.mstateathletics.com. "The time has flown by, but the hard work has paid off. We can do some damage this year and we definitely want to build on last year's success. We proved we can compete not only in the SEC, but across the country."

Sainz also played in the Western Amateur in Benton Harbor, Mich. He survived the first cut, which assured him a spot in next year's field. Sainz finished with rounds of 74, 68, 72 and 75.

Kay at Northern Illinois: Former Bartlett boys golf standout Tim Kay is gearing up for his junior season on the Northern Illinois men's golf team. Kay played in 13 matches in the 2007 fall season and averaged 76.9 strokes for 18 holes. His low round was a 70 last year at the Belmont Fall Shootout. Kay logged a season-best sixth-place finish at the Purdue Midwest Shootout with an even-par 72 in the rain-shortened event. Kay, a state qualifier as a senior at Bartlett, averaged 77.4 strokes per round as a freshman at NIU. Kay and NIU open the season Monday at the Nebraska Fairway Club Invitational at Nebraska City.

Lamothe at North Central: Burlington Central graduate Bobbie Lamothe is now a senior on the North Central College women's golf team. Lamothe and North Central opened the 2008 fall season at the Robert Morris Fall Classic at Foss Park Golf Course in North Chicago. North Central finished second in the event with a 334 score. Bethel College (Ind.) won the tournament team title with a 298 on the par-74, 5,860-yard layout. Lamothe finished tied for 31st place in the tournament with a 15-over score of 89. North Central is currently in the middle of a busy tournament stretch. North Central played in the Augustana Fall Invitational in Davenport, Iowa on Thursday and is playing in the Knox College Invitational in Galesburg today and will compete in the Fighting Scots Invitational at Gibson Woods Golf Course in Monmouth Saturday.

Garcia at Northwestern: Streamwood product Paulina Garcia is now a junior on the Northwestern University women's cross country team. Garcia and Northwestern recently opened the 2008 season at the DePaul Opener event at Channel Runne Park in Lincolnwood. Garcia finished 22nd in the race with a time of 15:53.64. She averaged 6:23.7 per mile on the 4K layout. Garcia finished in the top 4 in all seven races in which she ran as a sophomore. Garcia ran 22:11 at the Big Ten Championships and 22:19 at the NCAA Midwest Regional (6K courses) last season.

Ebbesen at Illinois State: Bartlett alum Kim Ebbesen is a junior on the Illinois State women's cross country team. Ebbesen recently helped Illinois State win the Illini Challenge at the University of Illinois Arboretum. Ebbesen finished 13th on the 4K layout with a time of 15:27.93. Her mile average was 6:13.4. Ebbesen competed in 6 races for Illinois State as a sophomore. She finished 26th in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championship-completing the 5K course in 18:34.64. She also ran a personal-best 4K time of 15:07.00 at the Illini Challenge and recorded a 5K-best time of 18:34 at the Notre Dame Invitational. Ebbesen finished 86th at the NCAA Midwest Regional, logging a personal-best 6K time of 22:12.

Sejnoha at St. Ambrose: Jacobs product Paul Sejnoha is now a senior on the highly touted St. Ambrose University (Davenport, Iowa) men's golf team. St. Ambrose opened the season by finishing second (by 1 shot) at the Duane Chanay Invitational at Byron Hills Gold Club in Port Byron, Ill. St. Ambrose then won the Loras Fall Invitational by 20 strokes. St. Ambrose came into the season ranked 15th in the country in the preseason NAIA poll.

Sikora at Olivet Nazarene: Elgin High School graduate Erin Sikora is a setter on the Olivet Nazarene University women's volleyball team that entered the season nationally ranked. Sikora, who missed the team's first tournament due to injury, made her season debut at the Red Raider Classic in Orange City, Iowa. Sikora had 33 assists in a 3-0 victory over Midland Lutheran (Neb.). She also had 42 assists in a lost to Hastings (Neb.). Sikora recorded 44 assists in the team's 3-2 loss to Dordt. She also had 10 assists in the squad's loss to Northwestern (Iowa) where the team ran a 6-2 offense (2 setters) for the first time during the season. Sikora and Olivet opened CCAC action with a 3-0 victory over Calumet-St. Joseph. Sikora had 30 assists and a career-high 6 aces in the contest. The victory improved Olivet to 3-6 on the season.

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