College Achievers: School's out for summer
We can't end the 2009-10 academic year without one last salute to local graduates doing good. The list is endless, so let's dig in.
They are the champions
The College of DuPage women's tennis team won the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III title May 6 in Tucson, Ariz. Coach Jim Bowers' Chaparrals upended defending champ Kingsborough (N.Y.) to take the title for the third time in four years.
Four days after Illinois Wesleyan's women's track team won the NCAA Division III national title, the baseball team did the same, beating SUNY-Cortland 17-5 on June 1 in Appleton, Wis. York graduate Jason Pankau, a third-team American Baseball Coaches Association All-America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Central Region pitcher of the year, tied a Wesleyan record with his 11th win. Junior outfielder Ryan Hopp (Hinsdale South) was also all-Divison III Central Region.
North Central College's men's track team won the DIII Outdoor Track National Championships on May 29 in Berea, Ohio. Coach Al Carius' Cardinals join the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse's 2005-06 squad as the only Division III men's track teams to have won national cross country, indoor and outdoor titles in one academic year. Freshman Tommy Stacey (Glenbard North) earned his second All-America honor in pole vault this year, while senior Kyle Brady (Wheaton Warrenville South) added the 10,000-meter title to a cache of All-America honors which included the indoor 5K crown.
Stepped up to the plate
Monmouth College junior catcher Dustin Murray (Lisle) spearheaded a food drive by the baseball team to benefit the city's Jamieson Community Center. After collecting about 100 pounds of nonperishable items in the fall, the club collected more than 250 pounds of food at home games this spring.
"It's a good cause and will help numerous families in the area," Murray said.
DeLux redux
Christine Lux (Glenbard West) capped her softball career among Notre Dame's all-time greats.
The team captain was the Irish's all-time leader in home runs (50) and putouts (1,544) and is tied for the career lead in RBI (174). Tying Notre Dame's single-season records for home runs (17) and doubles (17), her .801 slugging percentage reset her own record from last year. A second-team Academic All-America by ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA and two-time all-region pick, Lux is the only player in Big East softball history to record 60 runs, 60 RBI and 80 hits in a career. (Freshman sister Kathryn hit .333 for the Irish this spring.)
Lux earned Notre Dame's female athlete of the year award as well as its prestigious Kanaley Award honor leadership and athleticism.
Trey-time All-America
Another phenom wrapping it up, Cardinal Stritch senior Trey Triplett (Lisle) the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference's men's basketball player of the year. A four-time all-CCAC pick, the burly forward was named a third-team NAIA All-America this year after being an honorable-mention selection the past two seasons. Triplett's 2,210 points make him the Wolves' only player with more than 2,000 points.
Mat man
North Central College freshman Nathan Fitzenreider (Wheaton North) was named a National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-America. At 133 pounds Fitzenreider went 36-5, was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) and Great Lakes Regional champion and a Division III national championship participant. What got him the scholar honor was his grade-point average of at least 3.2 and winning 67 percent of his matches.
In the swim
Michael Kozak (Waubonsie Valley), an Illinois Wesleyan senior swimmer, earned honorable-mention All-America honors for his 10th-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly at the Division III National Swimming Championships in Minneapolis. Kozak also was named Division III male swimmer of the week after winning the 100 and 200 butterfly races at the CCIW Championships.
Illinois State freshman Jeanette Nolte (Neuqua Valley) shared most valuable honors with junior Amy Schaefer (Rosary). Nolte swam on three record-breaking relays for the Redbirds and took second place in the 100 butterfly at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships.
Fellow Redbirds swimmer, senior Amy Werkema (Hinsdale Central), was honored with a MVC/State Farm Good Neighbor Award for the winter season. At the time she carried a 3.53 grade-point average in elementary education and participated in a slew of community service programs.
Mixed doubles
Chris Mullin (Downers Grove South) graduates from Augustana as the Vikings' all-time leader in singles wins, breaking a 13-year-old record with 60; and his 67 career doubles wins broke an 18-year-old record. Mullin was named Augustana's most inspirational men's tennis player, and shared the Vikings' MVP with doubles partner Adam DeSimone.
As well, Emily Doemland (Downers Grove South) shared the Augie women's most inspirational award. Versatile as well, the senior earned 54 singles wins in her career and 52 doubles wins.
On track
Millikin junior Peter Trofimuk (Wheaton North) set a new school record in hammer on May 1 at 158 feet, 2 inches, topping his own personal best by nearly 13 feet.
Eastern Illinois sophomore Sean Wiggan (Waubonsie Valley) took first seven times this outdoor season, including a 1,600 relay at the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor championships, where he also finished second in the 800.
Freshman Sara Dede (Wheaton Academy) became Judson University's first female national champion, taking triple jump at the NCCAA outdoor championships.
Carthage College senior Buzzy Brown (Neuqua Valley) won the Joseph F. Simmons Award for career athletic achievement. Carthage's first invitee to the Drake Relays, Brown placed third in long jump at the Division III meet.
Also at Carthage, junior Ahvia Green (Waubonsie Valley) won the David Dvorak Memorial Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award.
Rachel Secrest (Wheaton North) capped her North Central College career with her sixth All-America pole vault honor at the Division III national meet. She placed second - at 13 feet, 21/4 inches a quarter-inch higher than the prior record she set last year.
Batter up
Kevin Tokarski (Downers Grove North), a sophomore second baseman at Illinois State, was the first Redbird named the Missouri Valley Conference Joe Carter Player of the Year. On May 29 he topped his own single-season stolen bases record with 33 and moved into first with his 82nd hit. He also owns the Redbird record for doubles.
Rockford College senior third baseman Kyle Standridge (Glenbard North) was named the Northern Athletic Conference position player of the year after leading the league in hitting (.473), runs (69) and triples (9). He had a consecutive-hits streak of 42, which ranks third all-time in Division III.
Stephanie Sarb (Lisle), a junior at Augustana, was the CCIW's first-team third baseman and shared Augie's top defensive player award. Overall she hit .328 with 10 home runs, 32 RBI and a .633 slugging percentage.
Nicole Dimiceli (Lake Park), a junior infielder at Judson, was named first-team all-CCAC a third straight year. Between single season and career she has records for hits, RBI, double and home runs, and also is an NCCAA Scolar-Athlete and All-America.
Lewis University's Jayme Hefler (Glenbard West) was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference softball freshman of the year, and a first-team all-conference pick. She led her team with a .444 average and set season records for runs (60) and stolen bases (40).
Another Glenbard West product, pitcher Steve Salazar was named Aurora University's male athlete of the year. Both he and catcher Kirk Williamson (Neuqua Valley) earned academic all-district honors and each were first-team all-NAC selections.
Not done yet
Ready for competing June 9 at the NCAA Division I outdoor track nationals in Eugene, Ore., Stanford sophomore Chris Derrick (Neuqua Valley) is seeded fifth in the 5,000-meters and seeks his sixth All-America honor in track and cross country; Shakeia Pinnick (Waubonsie Valley) is after her first, in the 400 hurdles as a freshman at Arizona State.