More winning for Preston at Wesleyan
Before every game, Nikki Preston listens to her Illinois Wesleyan coach send her team the same message.
"He tells us there are 300 teams in Division III basketball and we get to say we're No. 1," said the former Wheeling standout, who is the Titans' second leading scorer with 11.3 points per game behind former Maine South guard Christine Solari (13.6).
Playing at Wheeling for coach Shelly Wiegel, Preston became quite familiar with winning.
And that has hardly changed in Bloomington.
Preston's Division III top-ranked outfit is 17-0 and has won 55 consecutive regular-season games. The Titans are 6-0 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin with a league-record 32 straight wins.
The Titans go for No. 33 today at 7:30 p.m. when they host Augustana College.
Last season, the Titans lost in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tourney. Preston was a reserve on that team but is starting this season.
"We don't feel much pressure," Preston said about the No. 1 ranking. "But we do get everyone's best game. Everyone is trying to knock off the No. 1 team."
Wesleyan became Preston's No. 1 choice between two schools.
"I was between Wesleyan and Washington University," she said. "I decided I wanted to be closer to home and I really liked all the girls on the Wesleyan team. My decision has turned out real well."
Preston can't forget the big crowd of nearly 2,000 that would fill the gyms for her Wheeling games against Buffalo Grove.
"That helped prepare me for some of our big college crowds," said Preston, a 5-foot-10 junior forward.
"I play a little bit of guard and forward," said Preston, a biology major who has always loved dogs and is looking to become a veterinarian. "My coach likes me shooting 3s (she has a team-high 22 this season), but a lot of times teams will try to take that away so that opens up things to drive to the basket."
Women's gymnasticsThe Big 12 Conference named Missouri sophomore Mary Burke (Fremd) as its Gymnast of the Week.It is the first time she has won the weekly conference award.Burke led Missouri to a 194.725-190.650 win against then No. 18 Ohio State, claiming the first all-around title of her collegiate career with a score of 39.200.She also won the bars (9.825) and floor (9.875) titles.The mark on floor was a new career high for Burke while her score in the all-around tied her career high set last season. Burke is currently tied for seventh nationally on floor and tied for ninth in the all-around. This is the second time the Big 12 has honored Burke. She was named to the Big 12 Championship Team on vault last year. She is currently ranked seventh in the nation in the all-around.Men's soccerAugustana senior midfielder Scott Wallner (Buffalo Grove) was selected as the Vikings' Most Valuable Player for the 2009 season.Wallner, a four-year regular and a two-time all-conference performer in the College Conference of Illinois Wisconsin, finished the 2009 campaign with 3 goals and 2 assists for a total of 8 points. He had three game-winning goals this year and was named to the first team academic all-district team by ESPN The Magazine, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.He was also tabbed as the Vikings' "Best Offensive Player" and was named to the NCAA Division III All-Central Regional team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.bull; Senior Alex Rathe (Lake Zurich) was voted Augustana's "Best Defensive Player" after he helped spearhead a defense that held opponents to an average of 1.40 (28 goals in 19 games). The Vikings recorded 4 shutouts during the 2009 season.bull; The Viking Award for spirit and determination went to senior Eric Love (Buffalo Grove).Augustana finished the season with a 6-10-3 overall record and placed fourth in the CCIW. The Vikings also pulled off a historic first in the program's history when they defeated Wheaton on Oct. 7 by a score of 1-0. It was the first time the Vikings won a game against Wheaton on the Thunder's home field.bull; Frankie Gorg (Hersey) has been voted a co-captian for Illinois Wesleyan University.Women's basketballSenior Whitney Martin (Barrington) was named Athletic Association Conference Player of the Week, averaging 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals and helping Emory College to a pair of nonconference wins. In a 67-61 triumph over Piedmont College, the 6-foot Martin recorded her third double-double of the year when she recorded 11 points (second high on the team) and a team-high 10 rebounds.In addition, Martin also recorded 4 blocked shots and had a pair of steals. In a 68-64 overtime win at Agnes Scott, Martin paced the Eagles with a career-high tying 19 points while snatching a team-best 7 boards.Martin came through in a big way during the overtime session, scoring 9 points as she notched her 12th double-figure scoring performance of the season. In the two games, she shot 40.7 percent from the floor (11-of-27) and 77.8 percent from the foul line (7-of-9). Martin has led the squad in scoring in five games this year and has been Emory's leading rebounder on eight occasions.Men's swimmingThe Carthage College men's swimming team (4-2 dual-meet record) split a triangular meet at Arizona State University's Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe, Ariz. Carthage defeated Saint Louis University 137-78 but lost to the host Sun Devils 156-62. Carthage's Mike Moravek (Fremd) took third place in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.46). In the Red Men's 135-124 win over Wheaton College , junior Bob Pellican (Hersey) won the 200 backstroke (1:58.50) while taking second place in the 100 backstroke (54.59).Sled hockeyThe Fremd High School Hockey Club is hosting a "Sled Hockey" game against the Chicago Suburban Hornets Sled Hockey Team on Friday at the Hoffman Estates Ice Rink from 8 p.m. to 9:40 p.m.The game is to raise awareness and funds for the Hornets, so that this important program can continue. J. J. O'Connor is creator and manager of the team, an inspiration to the hockey community, and has been named the Manager of the U.S . Paralympic Sled Hockey team this year in Vancouver .There is no charge to Fremd H.S. Hockey Club participants or spectators but donations are truly welcomed.Youth volleyballA volleyball clinic for fifth to eighth graders will be held at Wheeling High School in the gymnasium on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost is $5 with a registration form. Forms can be filled out before the clinic begins.All volleyball skills will be covered by the Wheeling coaching staff and players.For more information, contact head girls volleyball coach Jason Kopkowski at Wheeling High School (847-718-7291).Chicago Bears campThis summer, the Chicago Bears will offer 27 non-contact football camps in 24 Illinois communities.Each camp is a week-long, day-camp for kids ages 6 to 14 years old. Each five-day camp runs Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Through comprehensive, non-contact football instruction, campers learn to run, throw, catch, defend.Camps are led by professional educators with supplemental instruction from former Bears such as Wendell Davis, Robin Earl, Allan Ellis, Kris Haines, Jim Morrissey and Jim Thornton.By bringing the camps to local communities, the Bears are making high quality and safe football experiences available to both experienced players and newcomers to the game. The camp cost is $385 with early bird discounts available.For more information, check out the camp schedule, curriculum and register on-line at: htp://www.BearsCamps.com or call Chicago Bears Youth Football Camps at (312) 226-7776.