Murnane opts for Ohio
While an honor roll student and state scholar at Libertyville High School, Maggie Murnane helped lead her Eclipse Select soccer teams to state championships in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
Now, the forward-midfielder is hoping to give Ohio University an offensive boost.
Murnane is transferring to Ohio after spending the past two seasons playing for Dayton.
She was part of the Flyers’ third straight Atlantic 10 Championship crown in 2011, playing in six matches as a sophomore. As a freshman at Dayton, Murnane was named to the Preseason Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team and ended up playing in 12 matches.
“We are very excited to have Maggie join our program this winter,” said Ohio coach Stacy Strauss in a press release. “The winning experiences she’s had, both with Eclipse and at Dayton, will benefit our team immensely. Additionally, her individual strengths — including her size, post-up play and finishing ability — will be a real threat to our opponents and help us find the back of the net with greater consistency.”
Ohio was 7-11-2 in 2011.
Murnane joins a roster that also includes former Eclipse Select player Nicole Amari (Vernon Hills), who is coming off her freshman season as the team’s backup goalkeeper.
Amari started in four of five games played, posting a 1-1-1 record, 26 saves and a shutout. Amari had a 5-save clean sheet during a 2-0 victory over Bowling Green State on Oct. 16.
Casino night
The Vernon Hills Athletic Association will be hosting its inaugural casino night and auction on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Tickets are $50 and include buffet dinner plus $100 in cougar dollars. Tickets are expected to sell quickly. There will be a cash bar as well. For more information: www.vhcyaa.org or call 847-793-8300.
Familiar face in town
Former Buffalo Grove standout Allison Guth, who helped lead Tom Dineen’s Bison to the 2000 Class AA state championship at Illinois State, was recognized by McDonald’ Shootout director Jim O’Boye last Saturday in Villa Park.
Guth, an assistant coach for Yale, was scouting at the Shootout which features some of the top players in the state each year. Guth played in the event in 1999 for Buffalo Grove.
Before joining the Yale staff, Guth was previously DePaul’s Director of Basketball Operations, handling the Blue Demon summer camps, video exchange, scouting and on-campus recruiting. In her two seasons, coach Doug Bruno’s Blue Demons reached the Big East and NCAA tournaments.
Guth, who played for Illinois and helped the Illini reach the 2003 NCAA tourney, started her coaching career as an assistant at Loyola-Chicago from 2005-07. She also served as recruiting coordinator with the Ramblers and worked with backcourt players.
Football
Lake Forest junior wide receiver Austin Sobey (Prospect) broke the school receiving touchdown record this year with 13 touchdowns.
Women’s basketball
DePaul freshman Megan Rogowski (Hersey) went 5-for-11 from 3-point range and finished with 15 points in the Blue Demons’ 86-83 win over visiting Pittsburgh. DePaul (15-3) improved to 3-1 in the Big East.
Rogowski’s 5 3-pointers and 11 attempts were both career-highs.
She also recorded her first career block.
Ÿ Junior Forward Ashley Wilson (Wheeling) helped lead Hannibal-LaGrange (7-4) to a 60-47 victory over Haskell Indian Nations at the First Community Bank Classic hosted by the College of the Ozarks. The 6-foot Wilson scored 12 points and also came away with 6 rebounds.
Men’s cross country
Nick Penev (Schaumburg) was recently named an Academic All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin honoree as a runner for North Central College. North Central won the national title this season and Penev competed in four races, highlighted by a 15th-place finish at the CCIW Open meet (27:19).
Professional Soccer
Former Notre Dame midfielder Jen Buczkowski (Elk Grove) re-signed with Women’s Professional Soccer’s Philadelphia Independence.
Buczkowski was named to the 2011 WPS Best XI and was named the team’s 2011 Ironwoman after logging every minute of the 18-game regular season last year.
She has played the past two seasons with the Independence after opening her WPS career with the 2009 WPS champion Sky Blue FC of New Jersey.
Buczkowski was selected by Philadelphia in the first round (third overall) of the 2009 WPS Expansion Draft.
In two seasons with the Independence, Buczkowski has started in 38 of 41 games played, logging 3,428 minutes and contributing an assist in 2010. In 2011, the Independence advanced to the WPS Championship and played the Western New York Flash to a 1-1 draw through regulation. But the Flash took home the crown, winning a 5-4 shootout.
Men’s basketball
Junior Kevin Reed (Prospect) is the third-leading scorer for Illinois Wesleyan with 10.2 points a game. The 6-7 post is also averaging 6.3 rebounds.
Ÿ Senior Brian DeSimone (Buffalo Grove) leads Augustana in assists and steals and is averaging 7 points a game.
Ÿ Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.