College Achievers: From escaping a war zone to winning the big one
What a great story …
From refugee to champion
Known as “Ode,” Wilondja Emena as a child fled war-torn Congo with his family. They traveled on foot, on trains and hid in trucks under stacks of sugar cane, south through different nations and refugee camps until reaching another camp in South Africa.
Through World Relief, they were taken to Texas. Eventually, in 2012, the family settled in Glendale Heights. This was a far superior situation than when the Emena brothers passed time in refugee camps by kicking a wad of plastic bags fastened by rope.
Now a senior rear defensive back for Judson University’s men’s soccer team, Ode Emena (Glenbard North High School) this season earned first-team Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference honors after helping the Eagles post 7 shutouts while allowing 3 goals in 10 matches to win the CCAC title unbeaten.
On Dec. 7 in Florida, Judson (12-4-8) won the National Christian College Athletic Association Division I men’s soccer championship, 1-0 over Carolina (North Carolina). A second-team all-regional selection, Emena helped the Eagles to their 12th shutout of the season in their first men’s soccer title since 2009.
Also at Judson …
Alyssa Gerzel (Grayslake North), a senior opposite hitter on the Judson women’s volleyball team, earned first-team All-America honors by both the NCCAA and the American Volleyball Coaches Association in NCCAA Division I. A two-time CCAC first-team pick, Gerzel had 412 kills and 299 digs this season. She finished with 1,442 kills, sixth in school history.
Auspicious start
Last week the Missouri Valley Conference named Miami (Ohio) swimmer Drew Watson (Crystal Lake South) its men’s freshman swimmer of the week. At the Miami Invitational Watson recorded personal-best times in the 100-yard backstroke (49.28 seconds) and the 200 back (1 minute, 48.51 seconds), a pair of top-five finishes, and added a backstroke leg of 22.78 in the RedHawks’ third-place 200 medley. Watson, who set seven school records in high school with the Cary co-op team, was the Fox Valley Conference swimmer of the year his junior and senior seasons.
They’re saying, ‘Luuk’
Luuk Dusek (Glenbard West), a freshman guard at Covenant College (Georgia), was the Collegiate Conference of the South men’s basketball Rookie of the Week for Dec. 9. He averaged 10 points and hit six 3-pointers to help the Scots go 3-0. Dusek scored 8 points in 44 seconds to spark Covenant’s 96-84 comeback win over Bob Jones University. Last Thursday, Dusek came in first off the bench to score a season-high 23 points including 7-of-13 shooting on 3s in the Scots’ 92-88 win over Johnson & Wales (North Carolina).
Sullivan’s tackles
We mentioned some of these players after the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin named its all-conference team, but on Dec. 11 D3football.com released its all-region teams. North Central College junior defensive tackle John Sullivan (Lakes) was named Region 5 defensive player of the year. Entering Saturday’s NCAA Division III quarterfinal against Springfield (Massachusetts), Sullivan had recorded 50 tackles, 13.5 for loss, with 5 sacks and 6 quarterback hurries for the No. 1 Cardinals (12-0).
Region 5 picks included Aurora University guard Matt Kickel (Benet), North Central guard Sam Pryor (Kaneland), and Wheaton College defensive end Peter Johanik (Wheaton Academy). North Central coach Matt Spencer (Naperville Central) was Region 5 coach of the year.
Region 6, representing mainly the upper Midwest, included a few area players: Wisconsin-Platteville senior receiver Brandt Stare (Neuqua Valley), Wisconsin-Whitewater defensive tackle Matt Burba (Huntley) and, as return specialist, Whitewater sophomore receiver Tyler Vasey (Prairie Ridge). Vasey scored on kickoff returns of 98, 95 and 88 yards this season. The D3football All-America team will be announced Jan. 2.