Let's talk about college achievers
It's been awhile - months! - since we last reported on local graduates' achievements in college. Let's begin...
In a 55-35 win Nov. 25 over Toledo, Western Michigan senior Corey Davis (Wheaton Warrenville South) became the Football Bowl Subdivision career leader in yards receiving, his 81 yards on 8 catches establishing the new mark of 5,068 as he bypassed the 17-year-old record. On the season the two-time first-team Mid-American Conference wideout has 83 receptions for 1,283 yards, 17 touchdowns, Davis' third straight season over 1,000 yards receiving since he was a Football Writers Association Freshman All-American. On Wednesday he was named MAC offensive player of the year.
On Wednesday running back James Butler (St. Francis) was named Nevada's most valuable player, the first junior to get it since Colin Kaepernick in 2009. Also the Wolf Pack's outstanding offensive player, Butler ran for career highs of 1,336 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 3,313 career yards rushing ranks eighth at Nevada, and Butler also set highs in catches, receiving yards and touchdown grabs.
One of Corey Davis' high school classmates, Hope College senior Erin Herrmann (WW South) placed fourth at the Division III women's cross country championships Nov. 19 at Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. Herrmann, who a week before became Hope's first Great Lakes Regional winner since 1991, improved on her 34th-place finish at the 2015 nationals with a time of 20 minutes, 51.1 seconds over the 6-kilometer course. Herrmann's fourth-place finish tied Hope's all-time best individual finish at nationals with her second All-America cross country effort, third counting last spring's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Sophomore Emily Hamilton (Naperville North) also aided Hope's 10th-place national finish. Herrmann won the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association women's meet on Oct. 29, Hamilton finishing ninth.
Broc Rutter (Neuqua Valley), a North Central College freshman quarterback, was named the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin offensive player of the year. He led the CCIW in completions, yards, touchdowns, completion percentage and passing efficiency. Overall the transfer from Indiana State completed 230 of 351 passes for 3,237 yards and 38 touchdowns, which ranked second nationally. He passed for at least 4 touchdowns in six of the Cardinals' 12 games.
Incidentally, North Central coach Jeff Thorne (Wheaton Central) was the CCIW's football coach of the year - as was Carthage's Steve Domin (Naperville North) in men's soccer after the Red Men went 8-0 in conference and 18-4 overall. CCIW first-team honorees included repeat recipient Nick King (Downers Grove South), an Elmhurst College junior who recorded a 1.40 goals-against average and 4 shutouts in net; and Wheaton College senior forward Max Carey (WW South), who led the Thunder with 7 goals and added 4 assists.
Jack Toner (Benet), a senior at Johns Hopkins, earned first-team Division III CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. The safety, a second-team honoree last year, is a three-time all-Centennial Conference first-team selection and this season's defensive player of the year after making 55 tackles and 8 interceptions, tying the Blue Jays' season record. The 18 career interceptions are second in program history. Toner boasts a 3.78 grade-point average in economics with a minor in entrepreneurship and management.
The Missouri Valley Conference announced its women's volleyball awards, and Missouri State's Daniele Messa (St. Francis) is its freshman of the year. The 5-foot-7 setter recorded 54 assists in matches twice entering Friday's NCAA first-round match against Ohio State, and has 1,293 sets in 125 matches for the 26-8 Bears. She set a MVC record with seven freshman of the week honors.
In 2014 Elmhurst College senior middle hitter Melissa Nava (Hinsdale South) earned honorable-mention All-America honors, then missed 2015 due to injury. She rebounded this season to make first-team all-CCIW for the 23-13 Bluejays behind a team-high 350 kills.
Northwestern sophomore soccer defender Kayla Sharples (Naperville North) earned first-team all-Big Ten honors, helping secure a program-best 14 shutouts. Starting every game for the 16-3-4 Wildcats she assisted on 2 goals and scored 3, including the golden goal a 1-0 win over Illinois to give Northwestern its first Big Ten title.
From the other side of town, Virginia forward Alissa Gorzak (Naperville Central) was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference all-freshman women's soccer team and was a third-team all-conference pick after scoring a goal and assisting on 4 others for the Cavaliers.
Illinois State senior defender Sara Stankoskey (Glenbard North) capped her college career as a repeat honoree of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Good Neighbor Award. She volunteers a ton, carries a 3.66 GPA in exercise science as an MVC Scholar-Athlete and helped the 14-6-3 Redbirds win both regular-season and tourney titles. Stankoskey started all 23 games this season and played in 81 in her career.
Gabriel Gongora (Metea Valley), a senior keeper at Dominican University in River Forest, earned first-team honors in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. Helping the Stars to the conference title, he posted a league-best 0.68 goals-against average with 8 shutouts.
Benedictine, however, won the NACC tournament. Helping the cause was first-team senior defender Eric Lukitsch (Willowbrook), part of a back line that produced 9 shutouts. Overall Benedictine ended with a 16-5-2 record, its best season in history.
To be continued...
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
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