Vernon Hills' Gallagher excels for SIU's distance medley
Kelley Gallagher is going out in style.
In her senior year, the Southern Illinois runner had the most success of her career at the recent Missouri Valley Conference indoor championships.
The Vernon Hills graduate stacked up 13 points for the Salukis. Anchoring the distance medley, Kelley found herself in second place at the baton handoff and surged past the runner ahead.
With the support of an enthusiastic crowd, Gallagher held her spot for the eight-lap (1-mile) leg and ran to her first MVC title in 11:53.22 (4:58).
"During the sixth lap, everyone on the infield started yelling and going crazy," Gallagher said. "So I figured the number two runner was trying to make a move and I just told myself to run as fast as I can."
The last time Saluki women won this event was 2001.
In the mile run, Kelley won her preliminary heat (4:59) and advanced to finals, where she notched a sixth-place finish (5:03.26).
Gallagher leaves her footprint in the SIU top 10 indoor record book in three events: the mile run (ninth place with a 4:58.58 in 2013), the distance medley (fourth place with a 11:52.67 in 2013) and the 4x800 meter relay (first place in 2015).
The Saluki women placed second as a team, just 3 points behind first place Indiana State.
Women's track
The Lewis distance medley relay that includes Kristen Bonsor of Antioch and Amy Polhemus of Lake Zurich has qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field championships.
They will be held March 13-14 at the University of Alabama In Huntsville and Birmingham CrossPlex, in Birmingham, Ala.
Men's soccer
DePaul's Caleb Pothast (Lake Zurich) was named a co-winner of the Freshman Award when the Blue Demon's recognized their top achievers from the 2014 season.
Pothast played in 17 matches and made an immediate impact on the team by helping solidify the back line. He fired off 6 shots last season with three right on goal.
Men's track
Lewis junior Isaac Jean-Paul (Warren) looks to repeat as an Indoor all-American for the high jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 13-14.
He looks to improve upon his seventh-place finish in 2014.
Earlier this season, the USTFCCCA All-Midwest Region selection broke his own school-record in the high jump with a leap of 2.19m (7-2¼). That is the best mark in the Midwest region and the second-highest in Division II.
Women's basketball
Hope College senior Rebekah Llorens (Grayslake Central) has been named an All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association First Team player for the first time in her career.
She was one of six players chosen All-MIAA First Team.
Llorens finished eighth in the MIAA in scoring at 12.6 points per league game. She also averaged 5.6 rebounds.
She overcame a knee injury suffered during her junior season to start every game for the Flying Dutch this season. Hope finished second in the MIAA with a 14-2 record. They ended up 23-4 in the regular season.
"It is a great testament to Bekah's ability to come back from a season-ending injury, put in the time, regain her athleticism and play at a high level this year," said Hope coach Brian Morehouse in a school release. "We're really excited for how far she has come back to get to this stage for us."
Baseball
Augustana junior Darwin Townsend (Libertyville) has allowed just 1 hit over 8⅔ innings in four appearances and sports a 1.04 ERA for the Vikings (7-3).
• Lewis center fielder Justina Doll (Mundelein) scored 2 runs for the Flyers (6-3) in a 7-5 victory over Ashland in the second game of a doubleheader at the National Training Center.
Men's lacrosse
Augustana junior Tyler Amidei (Vernon Hills) had a team-high two caused turnovers for the Viking (3-2) in the a 13-10 win at Berry.
• Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com