College achievers: Early fall edition

We couldn't go on much longer without mentioning the many high school graduates who've gone on to do wonderful things at the collegiate level so far this fall...

Return to grandeur

Benedictine University freshman John Borsellino, an All-Area football player last year at Montini, was named the Northern Athletics Conference special-teams player of the week after each of the Eagles' first two games.

On Sept. 6 Borsellino returned 5 kickoffs for 192 yards, with a long return of 92 yards. On Sept. 20 he returned 6 kicks for 183 yards, with an 89-yarder for a touchdown. That day he also led Benedictine in rushing and was second in receiving yardage.

Borsellino's brother Joe is a senior playing for the Eagles.

Honor roll

With the exception of Benedictine, our local colleges compete in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. Following are some area graduates who have earned player of the week honors in their respective sports.

Football: Aaron Fanthorpe (Naperville North), North Central; Tyler Lomnicki (York), Elmhurst; Pete Ittersagen (Wheaton North), Wheaton.

Women's soccer: Taryne Lee (Wheaton Academy), Wheaton; Alli Novak (Naperville North), Illinois Wesleyan; Elise Manzie (Naperville Central), North Central; Anna Carey (Wheaton Warrenville South), Augustana.

Men's soccer: Matt Sterner (Naperville Central), Elmhurst; Bruce Janek (West Chicago), Millikin.

Women's tennis: Melissa Lewis (Glenbard North), North Central.

Women's volleyball: Stephanie Ryding (Naperville Central), North Central; Rachel Uhrig (Wheaton North), Augustana.

Super soph

You may not realize Northwestern is undefeated - in men's soccer. At least the Wildcats were through Wednesday, 8-0-2, and one of the reasons is Glenbard East graduate Matt Eliason, a 2006 Illinois all-state selection who scored 39 goals with 21 assists in two years with the varsity Rams.

A sophomore forward who scored 5 goals as a freshman at Northwestern, through Wednesday Eliason already had 8 goals, 4 of them game-winners. He scored 4 goals during an MVP stint at the NIU/adidas Invitational. Against Eastern Illinois he scored 3 goals to record Northwestern's third hat trick in history and first in 11 years.

Due in large part to that effort, on Sept. 15 Eliason was named the Big Ten offensive player of the week and earned national team of the week honors by College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer.

Through Wednesday he was among the nation's top goal scorers and ranked second in the Big Ten.

Dig it

Neuqua Valley graduate Rachelle Dejean, who joins her twin sister, Genevieve, on the Bradley volleyball team, recorded 33 digs in the Braves' four-game victory over Western Illinois on Sept. 23. That tied for the fourth-most digs in school history and were Bradley's highest total since Oct. 22, 2005.

Block it

St. Xavier's women's volleyball team started shaky - 7-17 overall through Wednesday, though 6-0 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference - but freshman middle blocker Kim Scudder, from York, is doing what she can.

Playing in each of the Cougars' 81 games through Sept. 29, the York graduate led St. Xavier in serve assists and blocks.

Far and sure

Addison Trail graduate John Katsikas didn't play golf for Moraine Valley last year, just baseball. Last spring he made the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference's second-team as a pitcher.

This year he's playing both sports. He's hitting the pill well so far.

On Sept. 15 Katsikas won the Prairie State College Skyway Invitational match at Deer Creek Golf Course with a 73, leading his team to the overall title.

Entering Wednesday's match against Elgin Community College, Katsikas had placed among Moraine's top four scorers in seven of 10 matches.

Hannah's got hands

Wheaton North graduate Hannah Perry, a freshman goalkeeper at St. Louis University, tied a stadium record with her 10 saves in a 1-0 Billikens soccer win over Nebraska.

Two days later she recorded another shutout - she now has 5 - and was named Atlantic 10 Conference co-rookie of the week.

Gotham city

In early September the Western Michigan women's volleyball team traveled to Normal to play in Illinois State's Redbird Classic.

The Broncos came away tourney winners, winning nine of 10 games with big help from a pair of all-tourney teamers: middle blocker Jaime Gotham (Glenbard East) and setter Jillian Mitchell (Downers South).

That same weekend at Wisconsin-Platteville's Pioneer Classic volleyball confab, Augustana sophomore Courtney Jungnickel (Naperville Central) was named to the all-tournament team.

It happens every year

We like to mention at least once annually the leading Illinois schools in standings for the Sports Academy Directors' Cup, which ranks the top colleges in overall athletic performance combining men's and women's programs.

For the 2007-08 academic year, in Division I the University of Illinois rated 34th nationally. For the 14th consecutive year Stanford was the leader.

Usual suspect Grand Valley State in Michigan won in Division II for a fifth straight year. Southern Illinois-Edwardsville pulled in at 14th.

In Division III it was a 10th straight winning year for Williams of Massachusetts. The leading Illinois institution was Illinois Wesleyan, No. 20.

Finally for 2007-08, in NAIA the Illinois leader was McKendree College in 12th, behind leader Azusa Pacific of California. Azusa three-peated.

doberhelman@dailyherald.com