Elmhurst women return to NCAAs

Julie Hall and the Elmhurst women’s volleyball team felt like they got slighted when they didn’t receive an at-large berth in last season’s NCAA Division III Tournament despite a 24-13 record.

The Bluejays didn’t give the selection committee much of a choice in 2011.

Elmhurst went 30-5 this season and found out Monday that it earned an at-large berth into the 64-team NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays — ranked No. 16 in Tuesday’s American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 poll — will play Cornell College (28-5) in the first round at Washington University in St. Louis on Friday.

This will be Elmhurst’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2005, when the Bluejays went 31-10 and lost in the opening round.

“They were excited about it,” said coach Julie Hall, who will be making her eighth trip to the tournament with Elmhurst. “We felt like we had a great chance of getting in, but for sure they’re really, really excited right now.”

Elmhurst is making its 16th trip to the NCAA tournament. The Bluejays have made the final four three times, winning national titles in 1983 and 1985 under coach Bill Walton.

But after making the tournament under Hall seven times from 1998-2005, the Bluejays went on a six-year postseason drought.

“It’s been a definite rebuilding,” Hall said. “It just takes a lot of work. I learned a huge lesson by resting on my laurels a little bit. You cannot do that when other people are working their rear ends off.”

Elmhurst didn’t lose much in 2011, but its run through the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Tournament ended with a 3-2 loss to No. 9 Carthage in Saturday’s championship match. Hall called the defeat a blown opportunity and said it put a slight damper on Monday’s announcement of an at-large berth.

The Bluejays could get another shot at their conference rivals in the second round of the NCAA tournament. For that to happen, Carthage would have to beat Edgewood while Elmhurst took care of a Cornell team it beat 3-1 on Oct. 7.

Cornell is “young, and they’re really good,” Hall said. “It’s going to be a really good match to open us up.”

Wheaton: The preseason goals set by the Wheaton women#146;s soccer team for 2011 won#146;t win any points for creativity. In fact the Thunder pretty much uses the same ones every year.#147;At the beginning of the year, we have two goals,#148; coach Pete Felske said. #147;Conference title, national title.#148;That#146;s one down, one to go.Wheaton (18-1-2) scored a shootout victory over Illinois Wesleyan Saturday to win the CCIW Tournament championship, and secure the conference#146;s automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Thunder will play Penn State-Behrend (13-6-2) at 5 p.m. Friday at Joe Bean Stadium, hoping to kick off a run to a national championship #8212; something it last did in 2007.This year#146;s senior class played for the national title in 2008 but was throttled 5-0 by Messiah.#147;They want to get back there and see what they can do,#148; Felske said.Wheaton caught a break Monday when it was selected to host an NCAA regional. Capital University (12-7-2) and Alma College (18-3-1) will also play at Joe Bean Stadium on Friday, with the winner advancing to play for a spot in the sectional at 6 p.m. Saturday.Wheaton is cruising after winning nine of its final 10 games to close the season, including the conference title game against Illinois Wesleyan. The Thunder got goals from junior Laura Karsten and freshman Anna Seabolt to tie the game at 2-2 at the end of regulation, then edged the Titans 7-6 in the shootout on a goal by sophomore Dani DeLeon.The Thunder has made 15 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament, going 36-8-5 with titles in 2004, 2006 and 2007.Senior Jaime Orewiler (Wheaton North) leads Wheaton and racked up 10 goals and 12 assists this season to earn CCIW Player of the Year recognition for the second consecutive year on Monday.#147;She#146;s just a small but very phenomenal player,#148; Felske said of the 5-foot-3 forward. #147;Very talented. ... She makes up for a lot of people#146;s mistakes.#148;Penn State-Behrend made the tournament after earning the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference#146;s automatic bid. The Thunder and Lions have never met in women#146;s soccer, and with common opponents scarce, it#146;s tough to know what to expect Friday.#147;I don#146;t know much about them at all,#148; Felske said. #147;That#146;s my job in the next couple of days, to find out.#148;North Central: Senior defensive tackle Peter Bulandr was selected to the D3football.com Team of the Week Tuesday for his performance in the North Central football team#146;s 33-7 dismantling of CCIW-rival Wheaton Saturday.Bulandr recorded 2 sacks and 8 quarterback hurries as the Cardinals held Wheaton without a touchdown pass and clinched their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs. North Central (8-1, 6-0) is also assured of at least a share of its sixth consecutive CCIW championship.North Central is ranked No. 6 in D3Football.com#146;s Top 25.