Symposium set; Kennedy, Morrison, Foley make mark

Learning is a never-ending process.

Practicing professionals know they must continue to be educated.

For the fourth straight year, Loyola University Chicago will host the Sports in Education Symposium at the 25 E. Pearson Building on the Water Tower Campus.

The session Thursday will begin at 8:30 a.m. and run until 1:30 p.m.

The symposium is designed for school administrators, athletic directors and coaches.

Panel topics include crisis recognition, avoidance and management, emerging drug testing issues at the IHSA level, and distractions on and off the field.

The event addresses cutting-edge topics in the field of education, law and sports and promotes professional development, networking and the exchange of ideas among administrators.

Mike Mulligan of the Sun-Times and WSCR 670-AM will serve as the keynote speaker.

Advance registration is free and the half-day session includes breakfast and lunch. Day-of-the-event registration is $20.

For more information, call (312) 876-0590.

Football

Ryan Kennedy (Libertyville) has been seeing action for Miami of Ohio as a freshman. The 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker has 8 solo tackles and 1 assist in 5 games, a blocked kick, fumble recovery against Kent State and 1 punt return for 8 yards.

• Redshirt freshman Ben Morrison (Stevenson) of Drake University moved into the starting outside linebacker position in the third game of the season, and by the fifth game (Butler), he moved to starting middle linebacker. After 8 games, 7 at linebacker, the 6-3, 225-pounder leads the Pioneer League in tackles with 62 (43 solo and 19 assists). He also has 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 quarterback sacks and 3 forced fumbles.

• Kevin Foley (Libertyville), a junior at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, leads the team in tackles. He was listed on the New England Football Conference Weekly Honor Roll for his play against Western New England. He had 9 tackles (7 solo), an interception and 2 pass breakups.

Wrestling

The Wrestling Factory, Mundelein High School's area youth program, will hold open registration on Friday, Oct. 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the school. The program is open to boys in grades 1-8.

Registration fee is $350 and also bring a copy of your birth certificate.

For more information, contact Tom Buenik at Mundelein High School (847-949-2200, ext. 1262) or at tbuenik@msh.k12.il.us.

Soccer

Saint Xavier University senior forward Lissa Coby (Grant) was named Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Player of the Year and NAIA Region VII Offensive Player of the Week. She also was one of seven Saint Xavier players on the all-conference team.

Coby scored the game-tying goal in a double overtime tie against No. 3 Lindsey Wilson, the lone goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 5 Martin Methodist and 2 goals and an assist in a win over Robert Morris.

Coby has 17 goals and 12 assists this season and is Saint Xavier's leading scorer with 74 goals and 60 assists.

Also in the CCAC, senior Amy Jenkins (Grayslake) of Judson University was named honorable mention all-conference.

• Notre Dame's junior left back Elise Weber (St. Viator) earned a spot on the Big East's weekly honor roll for the second straight week.

• Goalie Brian Byrne (Buffalo Grove) of Loyola University now has 9 shutouts this season and 8 in his last 9 matches. The 9 tie Loyola's all-time single-season record. He was named Horizon League Player of the Week.

• Frankie Gorg (Hersey, Sockers FC, Chicago) earned the first shutout of the season for Illinois Wesleyan in a 6-0 win over North Central. The Titans qualified for the CCIW tournament.

• Senior Megan Blenner (St. Viator) of Carroll College (12-2-1) netted her 8th goal of the season and 22nd of her career in a 2-1 OT win over Elmhurst. She also scored what proved to be the game-winner against Lawrence.

• Freshman Martina Pettenuzzo (Prospect), starting defensive center midfielder for the University of Buffalo, picked up her first career assists and first career point in a game with Eastern Michigan.

NIU Hall of Fame

Larry Leon, who coached basketball at Libertyville in the 1960s and '70s and golf at the College of Lake County and Robert Morris College, was inducted into the Northern Illinois University Athletics Hall of Fame along with other members of the 1950-51 NIU baseball teams.

Leon and Jack Brumm of Lake Bluff, who went to Arlington High School, played on those successful NIU teams. Leon hit .312 on the 1951 Huskies who won the league title.

Volleyball

Middle hitter Katie McCool (Warren) was named Midwest Conference Performer of the Week. She led Beloit College to a 3-1 record with 36 kills 19 blocks, 5 digs and a pair of service aces. She also became Beloit's career kills leader and surpassed 500 career blocks.

Tennis

Beth Kaufman (Barrington) of Carthage College was named to the all-conference first team. She was the most valuable player in the conference meet.

Cross country

Morgan Jacquette (Grayslake) of Aurora University was named Northern Athletics Conference Women's Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week, the second time she has received the award. She broke the school record by 32 seconds in the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Invitational and finished 26th out of 197 runners.

Golf

Senior Eric Johnson (Vernon Hills) of Augustana College paced the team with an 81 in the Red Poling Collegiate Classic. Senior Andrew Benton (Vernon Hills) topped the second group with 78-72 in the Big Blue Classic. Johnson had 77-78.

Field hockey

Junior Nikki Dyer (Stevenson) of Gettysburg (Pa.) College was named Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

Baseball

Southern Illinois University junior Mark Kelly (Hoffman Estates) ranks among the nation's Top-15 catchers, according to rivals.com. Kelly, who rates No. 10, was a first-team all-Missouri Valley Conference and American Baseball Coaches all-region pick. He hit .379 with 28 runs, 13 doubles, 2 home runs and 63 RBI in 56 games.

• The Melrose Indians will start three new travel teams in 2008 for 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds. The teams will take part in tournaments both in and out of the state and will be directed by non-parent, experienced coaches.

The open tryout will be held on Sunday, Oct. 28 from 12-4 p.m. at Black Hawk Park in Des Plaines, corner of Golf and Mt. Prospect roads.

For information, go to www.melroseindians.com or contact Bill Dwoinen Jr. at (708) 878-3487.

Submit items to Bob Frisk, Assistant Managing Editor/Sports, Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL., 60006. Fax to (847) 427-1173, or e-mail to bfrisk@dailyherald.com. Please, no phone calls.