Stevenson's Simon says Miami's right for her
Kelsey Simon made it official Wednesday, as the Stevenson senior signed a national letter of intent to play basketball for Miami (Ohio) University.
She verbally committed this summer.
Simon is a 6-foot-2 post player who is a three-year letter-winner for Stevenson. She started as a junior for a Patriots team that earned a regional final berth and then helped lead her AAU squad to a runner-up finish at the Full Package elite national tournament. She was named to the IHSA scholastic achievement team, and this season she will serve as a captain for Stevenson for the second consecutive year.
Simon's father, Cliff Levingston, was an NBA first-round draft pick by the Detroit Pistons in 1982 and played in the NBA for 11 seasons. Her brother David Simon was a four-year letter-winner for Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne and currently plays professional basketball in the European Pro-A League.
Miami (Ohio) also inked three other players to letters of intent Wednesday.
"Kelsey will play the center position and is the player in this recruiting class who has the biggest upside," Redhawks coach Maria Fantanarosa said. "She has played the game for only three years and has already proven to have Division I talent. Her athleticism is the strength of her game, and with time and experience she has the potential to be a dominant force inside."
Softball
Warren's Booker signs with Illinois: Warren senior outfielder Alex Booker signed a national letter of intent with the University of Illinois on Wednesday.
She gave a verbal commitment to the Illini as a junior.
"When you think of Alex, you just know that there's an athlete there," Illinois coach Terri Sullivan said. "She has great agility and strength, so her athletic attributes are exceptional. She's very fluid when she plays softball and is very natural when she's out there running the bases and chasing down the ball. Alex is also a contagious personality that will fit in well with our team."
Booker is a three-time all-North Suburban Conference and Daily Herald All-Area player. She plays travel ball for the Lake County Liberty, with a career batting average of .450 in 362 at-bats. She is the Liberty's all-time leader in hits (163), runs (112), total bases (212), stolen bases (65) and walks (33). She helped lead the Liberty to the ASA/USA 18U Class A Nationals in 2008 and 2009.
Girls gymnastics
Lake Zurich's Fiedler signs with Illinois: Lake Zurich senior Sarah Fiedler signed with the University of Illinois on Wednesday.
"Academically, it is an awesome school," Fiedler said. "But it is also has a fantastic gymnastics team, so I get the best of both worlds. On my visit, I loved seeing the campus and attending the volleyball and football games, but more importantly, I absolutely loved hanging out and bonding with the team."
Fiedler is a club gymnast at the Libertyville Gymnastics Academy. She is a five-time Junior Olympic Level 10 national qualifier and two-time Region 5 all-star team member. She placed fourth on beam, fifth on uneven bars and sixth in the all-around at the 2009 JO national championships.
"Sarah was the catalyst of this class as she committed to the Illini at an early stage," Illini coach Bob Starkell said. "She excels on beam and floor and does not have many weaknesses. She is a tenacious athlete who strives for success every day. Sarah is a true all-arounder who will continue to improve. Her coaches have done a phenomenal job with her throughout these past few years, and we are excited to build upon that foundation at Illinois."