Elk Grove's Nikki Goranson keeps piling up the victories
It's been quite a spring of softball for the Goranson sisters.
Elk Grove sophomore pitcher and third baseman Dani Goranson has been a part of 33 wins for her high school team.
Her sister Nikki, who plays first base for Kankakee Community College, went 61-7 with her team that finished second in the NJCAA Division II national tournament in Normal.
That gives the sisters a combined 94 softball wins the last two months.
Nikki was last year's Daily Herald All-Area softball honorary captain.
"I'm honored to have been able to be a part of three different amazing teams with three different incredible coaches the past five years of my softball career," she said. "First, my travel team, the Illinois Bash, coached by my dad (Jim).
"Second, Elk Grove High School, coached by Ken Grams, and finally my college team Kankakee, coached by Dennis Clark."
In the past five years, she has contributed to her father's career win record of more than 300 victories in travel softball, Gram's 700-plus IHSA wins and Kankakee coach Dennis Green's 900-plus community college wins.
"Placing second (to Muskegon) at nationals (at Illinois State) for Kankakee was an experience I'll never forget," Nikki said. "Our whole team wanted it from the first pitch of the very first game until the final out of the championship game. We gave so much heart and pushed through everything to play our game the best way we knew how."
"On all three teams the camaraderie has been amazing. I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without the support and love of my brothers, sisters, and parents."
• Recently graduated Dayton softball player Molly Meyer (Elk Grove) is heading to to play for the Leksand Baseball and Softball Club in Sweden.
One of the premier baseball and softball clubs in Sweden, Meyer has been asked to fill multiple roles. On the field, she will continue to play center field while also pitching.
"We are very proud of Molly," said Dayton coach Cara Clark-LaPlaca. "She has been an incredible player and leader for our team and will be a huge asset to the Leksand club. We are glad that after playing here Molly has been afforded this opportunity and we hope to continue to provide these experiences for future players."
Meyer, who departed the end of May and will return in late August, has also been asked to lend her expertise as a coach. In addition to assisting as a coach during practice, Meyer will also help with youth summer camps.
The chance to play and coach abroad is a unique opportunity. Meyer is the first Dayton player to continue her career overseas after graduation.
"This is an exciting and unexpected opportunity," Meyer said. "I have never been out of the country before, so to pair that with softball is unbelievable."
• Augustana senior Karlee Quaritsch (Palatine) is the CCIW player of the year and has been named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Division III All-America team. She was a second-team selection at catcher.
Football
Carthage wide receiver Jeff Koeneman capped off his college football career by receiving the Jack Swartz All-Academic award (3.6 GPA), the offensive MVP award and the Most Outstanding Career award at Carthage. He was also named the Wisconsin Private School player of the year by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association at the Hall of Fame Awards banquet in Madison.
Water polo
Junior Colleen Briggs (Rolling Meadows), a junior at Miami (Ohio), was named to the Collegiate Water Polo Association's Midwest Division women's club all-conference first team.
Athlete of the year
Ingrid Stensvaag (Palatine) is the Wisconsin-Whitewater female student athlete of the year. She keyed three straight WIAC tennis championships and appearances in three NCAA Division III championship tournaments.
"Ms. Stensvaag has been a true class act on and off the court since transferring to UW-W after her freshman year," said UW-W tennis coordinator Frank Barnes. "Becoming the first CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-American in program history is just one example of the way she has led our team to new heights since her arrival."
Baseball
Northwestern junior left-hander Matt Gailey (Fremd) appeared in 21 games in relief, compiling a 1.60 ERA. Northwestern finished third in the Big Ten and qualified for the Big Ten Tournament this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Gailey has also been a Big Ten All-Academic selection the past two years.
• Oakton Community College freshman catcher Shane Uhle (Prospect) was named to the 2010 NJCAA Region IV/North Central District Rawlings Gold Glove team.
Women's volleyball
Prospect High School senior Rachel Hunt has committed to play volleyball for Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. The 6-foot senior was also a varsity basketball player at Prospect and is considering playing that sport at MIT.
Women's basketball
Carthage coach Tim Bernero announced a verbal commitment from Wheeling High School guard Stephanie Kuzmanic.
The 5-foot-8 Kuzmanic, a Daily Herald All-Area selection, averaged 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
As a junior, she played for coach Shelly Wiegel's 2009 third-place finisher in the Class 4A state championship.
Women's rowing
Junior Adrienne Darrow (Barrington) helped Williams College (Williamstown, Mass.) win its fifth straight NCAA Division III national rowing championship at Lake Folsom, Calif. Darrow was named a 2010 scholar athlete by the Collegiate Rowing Association and was named a co-captain of Williams women's crew for the 2010-11 season.