Roback find her Division I spot at St. Louis

Elk Grove Hall of Fame softball coach Ken Grams always knew he had a Division I infielder in Olivia Roback.

While it might not have happened immediately following her senior season as a Grenadier in 2010, Roback has proved her coach right.

After a superb freshman year playing shortstop and batting third for Kankakee Community College, Roback has signed a letter of intent to play for Saint Louis University.

She will join the Billikens as a junior for the 2012-13 season. An excellent student, Roback plans to study health science, hoping to work in the medical field.

This spring, the 2010 Daily Herald Female Athlete of the Year (basketball and volleyball) will return to shortstop for the Cavaliers before moving to second base when she joins the Billikens.

Appropriately enough, No. 13 has been the number she has worn since day one of her freshman season on the Elk Grove varsity softball team.

“The coach at St. Louis said the starting second baseman will be graduating this spring so I would play second base,” Roback said. “I’m excited.

“I can’t wait to play at that level. It’s going to be a lot different. The intensity level will go up a few notches. There will be more traveling. I’m excited.”

Roback made her official visit on the last weekend of October, the same day downtown St. Louis celebrated the Cardinals’ World Series title with a parade.

“It was neat to be there that day,” Roback said. “We saw them setting up for the parade and then I spent a lot of the day walking the campus and meeting players. I loved everything about it. It was pretty much a sure thing I’d go there when I left.”

Grams is elated for Roback, who was his starting shortstop for four straight years and never missed a game.

“I think some other schools may have missed the opportunity on Olivia when she was a junior and senior in high school,” he said. “After having enormous success at Kankakee, she got some exposure and St. Louis did its homework and picked up on Olivia.

“They felt about Olivia the same way I do. I’m so happy for her. I know she can perform well at this Division I level.”

Roback hit .454 at Kankakee, helping lead the Cavaliers to third place at the 2011 NJCAA Division II national tournament. Her 93 hits and 67 runs last season are second and seventh, respectively, on the school’s all-time single-season lists. Roback was named to the Region IV All-Tournament team.

“Olivia has championship experience at the junior college level,” said St. Louis softball coach Christy Connoyer. “She has great power and is clean and solid on defense. She has great hands and a strong arm. Combine those assets with her experience at the plate, and Olivia will help us right away. She is a steady performer who loves to compete.”

Men’s golf

St. Viator alumni golfers a year ago numbered seven in the collegiate ranks.

This year, it’s more of the same with sophomore Dan Stringfellow opting to redshirt his sophomore year at No. 4-ranked Auburn University while Brad Klune is again playing for Boston College.

Kahla Klune, Brad’s sister, is again starring at Boston College.

State record-holder Joe Carlson transferred from Villanova to San Diego University and is a regular for the Toreros. He helped his team win the Kauai Collegiate Classic with a 36th-place finish.

Matt Vitale was awarded a scholarship at Butler last May and now is a top player for the Bulldogs.

Vitale had a great fall season playing in every event, shooting a career collegiate round of 68 to help Butler win its first tournament in 14 years in its own invitational.

Ken Wienckowski chose to go to Division III perennial powerhouse Illinois Wesleyan, currently ranked No. 2 in the country in the Golf Week standings. Wienckowski led the Spartans to the championship at the Illinois Springfield Prairie Fire Invite on Piper Glen in Springfield. He shot even par with a final round 68 to capture medalist honors.

Men’s basketball

Lewis senior guard Chris McClellan (Wheeling) exploded for a career-high 27 points on 9-for-10 shooting, including a 6-for-7 performance from 3-point range, to help push the visiting Flyers to the 80-66 nonconference win over St. Francis.

McClellan’s 9 baskets and six 3s both equaled career-bests.

Women’s volleyball

Outside hitter Emily Leazer (St. Viator) was named the “Freshman of the Year” for Augustana.

Leazer, who made all-tournament teams at the Viking Classic (Sept. 2-3) and the Stevens Point Tournament (Oct. 21-22), led the team in kill attempts with 985.

She had 295 kills and averaged 2.59 kills per game. She also had 390 digs for a 3.42 average and led the Vikings in service aces with 36.

Mustang Shootout

The Rolling Meadows Athletic Booster Club will once again be sponsoring its 18th Annual Mustang Shootout. Traditionally, the fundraiser has taken place in April but due to the success of last year’s event it will continue to be staged over winter break.

On Wednesday, Dec. 21, girls (grades 3 to 12), college women, adult men and women will compete.

On Thursday, Dec. 22, boys (grades 3 to 12) and college men will compete.

All games will be played at Rolling Meadows High School and will take place in the afternoon or evening.

The cost is $100/team (if paid by December 15th). Registration forms are online at (http://mustangbooster.wordpress.com/). Proceeds from this event go toward TPC’s Post Prom Committee and the RMHS Athletic Boosters. Should you have any questions, please call Jerry Kramp (773) 842-0352 or Joe Schurtz (630) 772-9901.

Scholarship program

The National Sporting Goods Association has launched a college scholarship program to help establish sporting goods as a preferred employment destination for top students across the country who currently, or in the past, have worked for an NSGA member retailer or team dealer.

Applicants must have a top GPA, and provide both an official college transcript and a letter of recommendation from a representative of an NSGA member company. Preference will be given to students interested in a sporting goods retailing or team dealer career.

“We’re creating this program to help recognize some of the young employees that are integral parts of our retailer and team dealer members,” said NSGA President & CEO, Matt Carlson. “Our goal is to financially assist award winners during their college years so they consider sporting goods as their industry of choice upon graduation.”

For its inaugural year, the application deadline is January 27, 2012, and recipients will be notified in early March.

A committee of NSGA members will review the candidates and choose the scholarship recipients, who will be announced in NSGA communication vehicles leading into the 2012 NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit.

Applications are now available on the NSGA website — www.nsga.org/collegescholarship — and more information may be obtained by contacting NSGA Director of Strategic Planning & Education, Chuck Suritz, by emailing csuritz@nsga.org, or by calling (847) 296-6742, ext. 130.

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