Pair of Hawks Commit to UW-Parkside
A pair of Harper softball players will have a new home in the fall of 2015. Standout players Raegan Fingerman (Fox River Grove, Ill./Barrington) and Sara Markelonis (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) have committed to play softball at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The two will play for the Rangers, a NCAA Div. II school and member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The Rangers are coached by Scott Wachholz, who just completed his first year of coaching the team.
Both Fingerman and Markelonis liked what they heard from coach Wachholz, and Fingerman loved his perspective on coaching. Markelonis echoed that sentiment.
"Talking with him was the icing on the cake for sure. He's definitely what I look for in a coach and values the same aspects as the Harper coaches," Markelonis said. "I can tell how passionate he is about the sport and his players. All I wanted to do was play for him that day."
Fingerman put together two of the greatest seasons in Harper softball history in 2014 and 2015. In her sophomore campaign, she primarily played catcher and hit a team-best .510 with a homer, team-high 34 RBIs, 26 runs, 49 hits, nine doubles, four triples, a .533 OBP, and .719 slugging percentage in 29 games. She was recognized as First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region.
As a freshman in 2014, Fingerman hit .466 with four homers, 38 RBIs, 41 hits, seven doubles and two triples. She was honored as a First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region player.
While Fingerman accomplished just about everything possible in a Harper uniform, it's the friendships she's made with her teammates and athletes from other sports that she cherishes the most. She'll also miss the Hawks coaching staff of Cray Allen, Lynsey Ciezki and Matt Bloch, who have been coaching her since she was 16.
"They've been with me throughout my softball career and motivators for everything. They are like family to me," she said.
After transferring from Clarke University, Markelonis made an immediate impact for the Hawks in her only season with the program. As a freshman, Markelonis set the table for a Hawks offense that scored 210 runs in just 29 games. She hit .421 (second on team) with a .505 OBP, a homer, 19 RBIs, a team-high 33 runs, 40 hits, three doubles, and seven triples. Markelonis was voted Second Team All-Conference and also was named to the Region IV All-Tournament Team for her performance in postseason play.
Markelonis also provided 55 2/3 innings in the circle, posting a 4-5 record with 28 strikeouts in 16 appearances (nine starts) as the No. 2 pitcher behind Olivia Hamilton (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor). Defensively, Markelonis posted a .944 fielding percentage playing primarily third base.
"I almost wish I didn't go away (initially). I enjoyed the size of the school and the Harper softball program," Markelonis said. "My teammates - I don't think I've ever been so happy to be a part of a softball team."
Markelonis is finishing up her Associate in Arts degree from Harper this summer and plans to major in exercise science at UW-Parkside. She'll be coaching this summer as well for the Cary Crush Tidal Waves 11u team.
"I'll definitely miss the coaches at Harper. They've had a huge impact on my life," she said. "I learned a lot from them because I will be a future coach."
Fingerman is also finishing up her Associate in Arts degree this summer and plans to major in Liberal Arts until she decides what field she specifically wants to go into. She will be playing on a 20 and over team (Northern Illinois Lightning) with her best friend, Loren Krzysko, who plays for the University of Arkansas.
Looking back on her Harper experience, Fingerman highly recommends playing softball for the Hawks.
"Cray is a great coach and guy and is willing to help anyone," she said.