Hawkins a hit with Memphis

Just three years ago, Altrese Hawkins was walking the hallways of Hoffman Estates with her sights set on a college career of playing volleyball and studying to be a veterinarian.

While her career choice has changed, her volleyball game has excelled.

After redshirting in 2008, Hawkins was rewarded for a fine 2009 rookie season being named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team.

She led the Tigers in kills (335), hitting percentage (. 282) and points (357).

She is the fourth-highest ranked freshman hitter in the history of the University of Memphis and she was a featured player on the cover in the December issue of the Cobra Volleyball magazine.

Hawkins hadn't imagined this success and that she'd be featured in a national magazine.

"Never," said Hawkins, who was Hoffman's Female Athlete of the year her senior year and also played the piccolo in the school's marching band. "It's really been a wonderful experience. I've definitely taken my game to another level. I've learned a lot from different girls and the older girls I play with."

In high school, Hawkins worked at the Knollwood Hospital for pets in Schaumburg, thinking she wanted to become a vet.

But now she is leaning toward becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

"Now I'm thinking a lot about helping people rather animals," said Hawkins, who has made the dean's list each semester she has been at Memphis. "With orthopedics, I can still be in the sports world, so that would be an ideal profession.

Hawkins had 3 matches this season with more than 20 kills, including a match high 21 and a hitting percentage of .581 against east Carolina.

Women's basketball

University of Wisconsin-Parkside junior center Brittany Hogen (Hersey) was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference women's basketball Player of the Week.

Hogen led the Rangers to a pair of wins in nonconference action.

In Parkside's 85-70 win over Robert Morris University, Hogen posted a career-high 28 points and career-high 21 rebounds. She made school history with the 20-20 effort.

Hogen was also 12-for-15 from the free throw line. Seventeen of 21 rebounds were on the defensive end, and she added 3 assists.

Hogen came right back and dominated on the glass against Cardinal Stritch, posting 15 rebounds in the Rangers' 72-45 win.

Hogen is averaging a double-double on the season with 15.2 points and a league best of 10.2 rebounds per game. Whitewater coach Jenny Kenesie was quoted as saying "Brittany deserves the recognition for the weekend she had" and "she battled on both ends of the floor and was a beast underneath."

Girls basketball

The Elk Grove High School girls basketball team will hold its annual "Program Night" on Tuesday, Jan. 12.

The Grenaiders will be facing Addison Trail on all levels starting at 4:30 p.m. with the varsity game tipping off at 7:30 p.m.

All Elk Grove girls basketball alumni will be recognized at halftime of the varsity game with a reception following the game.

Alumni are asked to please RSVP to coach Ryan Kirkorsky at ryan.kirkorsky@d214.org.

Men's basketball

Chris McCellan (Wheeling), a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, led a late second-half comeback for Lewis when the Flyers posted a 73-70 nonconference victory over Olivet Nazarene University.

McClellan led all scorers with 20 points, including 12 in the second half. He shot 6 of 10 for the field, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range. He made all 5 of his free throws.

"Chris took over and hit some big shots and that's what we need from him," said Lewis coach Scott Trost. "I've been on him to be more aggressive, push the ball and search for his shot more and I thought he did that. When he plays with that kind of aggressiveness and confidence, he's a good player."

McClellan gave the Flyers a 69-67 lead on a driving layup. His layup with 12 seconds left put Lewis up for good 71-70. And his 2 free throws sealed the win with eight-tenths of a second remaining.

He scored the Flyers' last six points and had a career-high 6 rebounds.

McClennan also scored a game-high 15 points, all in the second half, as Lewis defeated Wayne State 61-49. McClellan was instrumental in an 18-8 run to begin in the second half, as the sophomore guard scored 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, over a 5:38 span.

McClellan currently ranks 22nd in the GLVC with his 13.5 ppg and second in free throw percentage (91.2)

Football

Three former local players - sophomore Matt Blanchard (Lake Zurich), freshman Jimmy Norris (Fremd) and sophomore Jason Ford (Fremd) played for Wisconsin-Whitewater which won the Division III national championship last month with a 38-28 victory over Mount Union in Salem, Va.

In that game, Ford returned a kickoff for 13 yards.

Other local players on the squad are freshman Mike Przespolewski (Prospect), freshman Jose Munoz (Palatine) and freshman Ryan Cortez (Palatine).

Men's swimming

Carthage College (4-2 dual-meet record) split a triangular meet at Arizona State University's Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe, Ariz.

Carthage defeated Saint Louis University, 137-78, but lost to the host-Sun Devils by a 156-62 margin.

Carthage sophomore Mike Moravek (Fremd) took third place in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.46).

Men's soccer

Three Illinois College student-athletes from the Chicago area were named to the 2009 Academic All-Midwest Conference Team.

One of them is Andrew Perkins (Prospect) of Arlington Heights.

The elite squad includes male and female student-athletes from the 10 conference schools who lettered in a fall sport and who possessed an academic grade point average of 3.20 or above.

Perkins, a junior, was recognized for his contributions in men's soccer.

Augustana senior midfielder Scott Wallner (Buffalo Grove) has been named to the 2009 All-Central Region team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Wallner was tabbed as a third team selection. He earned first team all-conference status in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin for the second straight season, finishing with 3 goals and 2 assists for a total of 8 points.

He led the team with 59 shots on goal and played in 17 games as a starter. Wallner also led the Vikings with a trio of game winning goals during the season.

He was a first team academic all-district selection by ESPN The Magazine, as named by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

During his career he had 12 goals and 7 assists.