Elk Grove’s Keegan a hit with North Dakota

College coaches were all set to take a look at Megan Keegan last summer after her impressive junior season for Elk Grove coach Ken Grams.

However, on her first day of summer softball (June 10), Keegan suffered an ACL injury while playing for the Lemont Rockers in Naperville.

“I had a bunch of schools who were going to come and watch me, but after I got injured, I didn’t know If I’d get to play anywhere in college,” Keegan said.

Working as diligently on the computer as she does on the softball field, Keegan sent out some emails during the time she was rehabbing.

“I wanted to see if anyone still was looking for a player in the 2012 recruiting class,” she said.

Fortunately for Keegan, the University of North Dakota was receptive.

While still not fully recovered to play the field, Keegan was able to hit by October and coaches from North Dakota traveled to see her bat in a St. Louis tournament.

The Fighting Sioux liked what they saw, made an offer, and Keegan made a commitment.

She is one of two Grenadiers with a Division I future. Classmate Dani Goranson has committed to Michigan State.

“A bunch of coaches told them (North Dakota) about me so they came and watched me hit,” Keegan said. “My video I sent out helped, too. Even though I couldn’t play the field at the time, all that mattered to them was my hitting.”

What they will see later is Keegan can field and throw, too — nearly anywhere on the field.

Keegan played five positions last spring for Grams (right field, catcher, third base, first base and left field).

“And she played each one well,” Grams said.

The all-area selection also led the Grens with 9 home runs and 36 RBI while batting .347. She will be one of seven returning starters this spring for the Mid-Suburban East defending champs.

“Not being able to show her wares this summer after the surgery put a little damper on things,” Grams said. “I didn’t know where things would lead but thank goodness enough people kept her in mind. There were a handful of them and this (North Dakota) was one of them. Megan went up there to visit this fall. She felt welcome and that she could fit in.”

Grams will use Keegan primarily as an outfielder this spring.

“I think she is a terrific outfielder, as far as getting a jump on the ball, reading the ball off the bat, and she has a terrific arm,” he said.

Keegan is a three-year starter for Grams, and belted 10 home runs as a sophomore.

“She’s been right in the middle of our lineup the last few years and we certainly expect that again,” Grams said. “I’m happy for her because she is a young lady who really enjoys sports and now has the opportunity to continue at an advanced level.”

Keegan pans to study criminal justice.

“I want to help people and give back in some way,” she said. “I think protecting the community is helping and something I can be good at.”

She has sure proven she is good at softball.

“It’s always been a goal (to play at the top level in college),” she said. “I was so driven to reach it.”

Keegan had surgery on her left knee on July 23 at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago.

“It was kind of a setback and had me thinking I might not be able to do it after the injury,” Keegan said. “I was pretty upset not being able to play in the summer. I knew that it was going to be the summer I was supposed to be looked at by college coaches.”

Keegan had no idea when she could return to the diamond. She wore a full brace on the knee all summer.

“It (knee) was locked in, so I couldn’t even walk,” she said. “ I thought it would take much longer (than October) to get back. I went to rehab four times a week (Athletico in Elk Grove).”

While she received no looks from college coaches all summer, Keegan started looking herself — and got rewarded.

“It was just a lot of emails and help from my coaches,” she said. “When the North Dakota coach (Eric Oakley) told me he would see me hit in St. Louis, I knew I had to work 10 times harder just for that tournament.”

Sure enough, she was quite impressive at the plate. She reached base almost every time she batted, and even belted a homer.

And then she hit the big home run — a commitment to a Division I program.

Football

Senior Teddy Schell (Barrington) received Indiana’s Academic Excellence Award with Adam Replogle and Greg Heban and served as the team’s holder on field goals and extra points for the third straight year.

The Hoosiers did not miss an extra point (102-of-102) and connected on 45-of-62 field goals (72.6 percent) over Schell’s three seasons as the holder.

Those numbers were produced by two different kickers and two different long snappers. But Schell was the only holder all three years.

In 2011, IU made all 30 extra points and was 13-of-16 on field goal (81.3) attempts. The Hoosiers attempted one pass on a fake field goal against Virginia.

Schell was also an Academic All-Big Ten selection for the third straight season. He was a three-time letterman and played in 36 straight games.

Schell achieved these honors while carrying a double major in English and Philosophy with a business minor. He was only one of two academic all-Big Ten selections for the IU philosophy department and one of three IU English majors so honored.

Ÿ Three North Central football players were selected to the 2011 NCAA Division III All-America Teams, as selected by D3football.com.

And one of them is Stevenson High School’s very own Peter Bulandr. The senior from Long Grove was one of two defensive tackles selected to the All-America First Team.

Bulandr was the 2011 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-North Region selection.

He ranked first on the team and second in the CCIW in quarterback sacks (7.5).

Men’s soccer

Carthage junior midfielder/forward Billy Hamilton (St. Viator), who scored 4 goals with 5 assists, was named National Soccer Coaches Association of America first-team All-Wisconsin.

Carthage sophomore defender Mike Heika (Fremd), who collected 4 goals and 4 assists, was named third-team all-state.

Basketball

Washington University sophomore Alan Aboona (St. Viator) scored a career-high 15 points and was 3-of-6 from 3-point range in a 71-56 loss Illinois Wesleyan.

Aboona scored 8 straight points to trim the Wesleyan’s lead to 20-17 with 10:27 to play in the first half.

The Bears trailed 40-25 at intermission with Aboona scoring 10 of his team’s points.

Washington trimmed the host’s lead to 7 points (61-54) with 3:23 to play after a three-pointer by Aboona but that’s as close as the Bears got.

Ÿ Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.