College Achievers: Carmel grad scoring large for Northwestern

Grace Sullivan, a 6-foot-4 senior forward for the Northwestern women’s basketball team, is putting up big numbers.

An Antioch native and 2022 graduate of Carmel Catholic in Mundelein, which she helped deliver the Class 3A state championship as a senior, Sullivan through Friday was the third-leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference, averaging 22 points a game.

Sullivan was shooting 54.1% from the floor and averaging 6.4 rebounds a game, second on Northwestern and 20th in the Big Ten.

Transferring to Northwestern following two years at Bucknell, where she earned academic honors in the Patriot League, Sullivan in 2024-25 averaged 10.1 points at Northwestern.

Sullivan’s 22-point average currently ranks third all-time at Northwestern over a single season. Her 237 field goals rank seventh.

Among the best

The University of Texas’ Abby Vander Wal (Timothy Christian) was among 62 women’s volleyball players selected to participate in Women’s National Team Collegiate Training from last week at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

A sophomore outside hitter who made the 2025 Southeastern Conference all-freshman team, Vander Wal as a freshman ranked third on the Longhorns in kills with 280 and in points with 300 while playing all 30 matches. Her serve receive percentage of .956 tied for second among Texas players with more than 18 total attempts. She had 364, third on the team.

Gatorade’s Illinois girls player of the year as a senior at Timothy Christian, Vander Wal was a member of USA Volleyball’s Under-21 and U19 national teams.

Yes, Maas

Another sophomore volleyball player achieved a unique honor. Casey Maas (Glenbard West) recently was named Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) offensive player of the week. With that, he became the first player from Queens University of Charlotte, N.C., to earn a MIVA weekly award.

The 6-2 outside hitter led Queens to a 4-1 victory over No. 11 Ohio State on Feb. 15, the highest-rated opponent to ever be beaten by the Royals. Maas led all players with 22 kills and a .405 hitting percentage, adding 7 digs, 2 block assists and a service ace.

Record setter

Earlier this month the National Junior College Athletic Association named Waubonsee Community College sophomore guard Niallie Evans (West Aurora) its Division II women’s basketball player of the week. On “Sophomore Recognition Day,” no less.

Evans scored 41 points to break the Chiefs’ program record by 1 point in a 119-44 win over Wright College, also a team record for points scored. Evans made 16 of 28 shot attempts and added 8 steals and 5 assists.

Averaging 19.6 points through 30 games, the 5-4 Evans led all NJCAA Division II players in assists with 200, or 6.7 a game, and was fifth in steals with 107, 3.6 a game.

Up to his old tricks

Illinois State sophomore outfield Brayden Bakes (Huntley) went 3-for-3 with a 2-run home run and two walks Friday in a 12-1 win over Massachusetts-Lowell at the Snowbird Classic in Florida. Junior pitcher Michael Addari (Libertyville) earned the victory in 4 shutout innings of relief.

Bakes, whose twin brother, Ryan, catches for the Redbirds, hit .313 last season with 8 home runs, 10 doubles and 38 RBI.