Barrington grad Marshall earns notice
Texas Christian University senior right-hander Eric Marshall has been named to the preseason baseball watch list for the sixth-annual College Baseball Writers Association "Stopper of the Year" award.
TCU is also No. 11 in the nation in a preseason ranking by Baseball America.
But don't expect the former Barrington hurler to be talking about those accolades.
"Ranking in the polls? So what. Some personal awards? So what," Marshall said. "Our coaches keep telling us we haven't done anything. At this point, everyone is on the same level."
The "Stopper of the Year" watch list is made up of 40 pitchers from around the country and is given annually to the top college closer in the country.
Marshall led the Horned Frogs with 9 saves in 2009 and finished with a stellar 1.48 ERA.
In 301/3 innings pitched as a junior, he fanned 20 batters and issued just 22 hits and 5 walks. Opponents hit just .206 off of him.
On the season, Marshall posted a 2-2 record in 24 appearances.
That success followed shoulder surgery in 2008 to remove a stress fracture, bone chips and cartilage.
"I've had several injuries, so that keeps my innings restricted to a relief pitcher," Marshall said. "The things I'm trying to do the most is help our team reach the nationals in Omaha.
"We've got some really good strong young arms. I primarily want to focus on helping our younger pitchers grow so we can have the best season we are capable of."
After graduating TCU Magna Cum Laude in May of 2009 with a degree in finance, Marshall is in the full-time graduate program at TCU pursuing his MBA in investment.
He was awarded Mountain West Scholar Athlete four times (2006 to 2009) and the Mountain West Scholar Academic All Conference Athlete in 2008 and 2009.
As far as continuing his baseball career after college, Marshall says he is not concerned about the major-league draft.
"I love the game," he said. "If I was drafted, it would depend if I felt it was worth trying to make the roster of the team. I'm not even worried about that. If you focus on that, that's how you hurt yourself. Like our mental-training coach says, "You can't focus on tomorrow, because you have work to do today."
Men's basketball
Concordia (Wis.) senior John Ulrich (Palatine) scored 12 points in a 97-89 win over Marian.
Ulrich, a four-year varsity starter at Palatine where he was the team MVP as a senior, averaged 6.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 26 games last season for Concordia.
Women's swimming
Augustana senior Sara Hlavin (St. Viator) raced past the field in the 400 individual medley (5:00.46) as one of seven winners for the Vikings who captured the title at the Principia Invitational in Elsah, Ill., with 531 points.
Sophomore Tanya Walter (Prospect) won both diving events, finishing with 174.50 points in the 1-meter dive and 169.70 points in the 3-meter dive.
Men's track and field
Adrian Kibiersza (Maine West) of Aurora University won the shot put at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitional with a throw of 16.18 meters and 12th in the weight throw with a throw of 14.66 meters.
• For the third straight week, North Central College is the No. 2-ranked team in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 25.
When the Cardinals won their third meet of the season, sophomore John Wood (Fremd) hit a provisional qualifying standard in the event. Wood currently holds one of the top three vaults in Division III.
Wood has earned All-America honors at the Indoor National Championships, tying for third place with an indoor personal best of 16 feet, 13/4 inches. He also qualified for the Outdoor National Championships, placing 13th.
• DePaul's Matt Babicz (Prospect) was one of the top-three attached weight throwers at the Badger Track Classic.
Babicz placed eighth in the discus throw at the Class 3A state championships during his first season competing in track and field as a junior. He was third in the javelin and fifth in the shot put at the state meet the following year.
He was a two-time Mid-Suburban League and sectional champion.
Men's hockeySt. Mary's University (Minnesota) junior defenseman Blake Zemaitis (Hersey) scored first for the Cardinals in a 4-3 loss to St. Thomas University of Minnesota in their MIAC conference game.Zemaitis scored on a wrist shot at 9:44 of the opening period, his second goal of the season.Zemaitis last played local hockey for the Northern Express (Park Ridge) Central States Midget Major Team which finished third in state in 2007.Girls basketballOn Wednesday night, Elk Grove's all-time leading scorer and rebounder Ashley Capotosto and eight other Illinois players will be honored at halftime of the Bulls game for being nominated as a McDonald's All-American.NFHS award winnerThe National Federation of State High School Associations has released its list of honorees for the 2010 NFHS Citations, which includes Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Assistant Executive Director Sue Hinrichsen among the award winners. The NHFS Citations annually honor 12 individuals from across the country for their contributions to the NFHS, state high school associations, athletic director and coaching professions, the officiating avocation and fine arts programs. The NFHS Citation is regarded as one of the most highly regarded achievements in high school activities."It's a pretty neat honor when you think of all the worthy candidates out there," Hinrichsen said. "There are so many people who are deserving of this recognition all throughout the state, and frankly, here within our office at the IHSA. It is humbling when you think about it in that regard and I accept it on behalf of all of those people."The 2010 NFHS Citation recipients will receive their awards July 9 at the 91st NFHS Summer Meeting in San Diego."Sue's NFHS Citation is a fitting tribute to a brilliant career," said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. "In my 19 years at the IHSA, the only other staff member to receive this award was Jim Flynn. This is truly a significant honor and an award that is reserved for the best of the best."Hinrichsen announced in August that she will retire at the conclusion of the 2009-10 school term after 18 years on the IHSA staff. Hinrichsen joined the IHSA staff after 15 years as a high school teacher and coach in Iowa and Illinois. She is currently the administrator for boys and girls volleyball, boys and girls golf, boys and girls bowling and girls badminton.In addition, she handles equity issues at the IHSA, is in charge of state final merchandise and is the staff's Title IX liaison. Hinrichsen has also administered softball, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls gymnastics, scholastic bowl, the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and the All-State Academic Team during her tenure at the IHSA. She served the NFHS in a number of capacities during her career, including seats on the NFHS Equity Committee and the NFHS Volleyball and Softball Rules Committees.