When it comes to wrapping up the year, this is just the start
We're in the homestretch of the high school sports season. Here's what some local collegiates did in theirs ...
Aside from Benet graduate Frank Kaminsky and Wisconsin basketball, which got plenty of ink and accolades, the spring story was the Loyola men's volleyball team. The Ramblers repeated as Division I national champion behind junior outside hitter Thomas Jaeschke (Wheaton Warrenville South) and 6-foot-10 freshman middle hitter Jeff Jendryk (St. Francis). Jaeschke was named Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association and American Volleyball Coaches Association player of the year honors, leading the 28-2 Ramblers with 388 kills, 55 service aces and 195 digs. Jendryk, who played in all 101 sets and was Volleyball Magazine and AVCA freshman of the year, led with 115 blocks, third with 196 kills. Towering (6-11) freshman opposite hitter Ricky Gevis (Benet) added 60 kills and 29 blocks. On May 21, Jaeschke became the first Loyola player to contribute to a United States National Team win, his 3 kills helping sweep Mexico in the Men's Champions Cup opener.
When on May 9 Loyola beat Lewis University and senior outside hitter Greg Petty (Downers Grove North) - an AVCA second-team All-American and MIVA first-team pick - 3-2 for the national title it was the first time two non-West Coast teams competed for it. Petty, who smashed 23 kills in the title game, led the 27-4 Flyers with 357 kills. Jacob Schmiegelt (Willowbrook), a 6-7 sophomore middle blocker, rang up 140 kills and 129 blocks; freshman setter Gert Lisha (Naperville North also was in the rotation.
Senior distance runner Lizzy Lundine (Willowbrook) shared most-valuable honors for the Augustana women's track. Named the program's most improved runner during the indoor season, she headed several DuPage County honorees for the Vikings: Hana Lobsinger (Wheaton Warrenville South) and Suzie Brashler (Downers Grove North) for most improved; Valeria Melo (Lisle), most valuable freshman; Katrina Friedrich (Downers Grove South) won a spirit award. Lobsinger also was named a co-captain for 2015-16.
On the men's side, sophomore Marckus Simmons (Downers North) was named Augie's field events most-valuable performer. He finished second in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin in hammer at 173 feet, 9 inches. Named as a senior co-captain for 2015-16 is decathlete Kyle Cluver (Waubonsie Valley).
Miami (Ohio) junior Joe Stewart (Metea Valley) was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Track and Field Team. A Mid-American Conference distinguished scholar-athlete in the fall during cross country, Stewart - whose twin brother, Matt, also runs for the Redhawks - carried a 3.90 grade-point average into the spring semester. He was set to compete at the NCAA East Regional this weekend after winning the MAC 10,000-meter run earlier this month.
Academic All-District honorees also include Emma Fisher (York), a sophomore at Stanford; and Macalester sophomore Kimber Meyer, who has a 3.95 GPA in biology. In early May Meyer won the college's female student-athlete of the year award. Also at that banquet, Macalester senior Joe Giamberdino (St. Francis) was the male recipient of the school's Rider Cup honoring athletics, scholarship and community service.
Alex Mimlitz (York), a sophomore distance runner at Belmont University, initiated the Nashville Track Classic, which on May 23 raised more than $1,500 for Sports 4 All, a nonprofit organization allowing individuals with disabilities to participate in sports at no charge.
On May 15 at Augustana's Twilight Qualifier, senior Chris Madison (Downers Grove South) broke the men's track program's longest-standing record when he clocked a time of 1 minute, 51.42 seconds in the 800-meter run. The prior school record of 1:51.44 had been set in 1969.
Metea Valley product Erwin Blake finished his junior year playing midfield for Colorado University's lacrosse club, which lost 9-8 to Grand Canyon University on May 16 at the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division I national championship.
Dayton won the Division II title, 12-11 over Concordia (California); Dayton offers area graduates Dan Caponi (Wheaton North), Jack Infelise (St. Francis), James Rogers (York) and Connor Daly and Sean Placey, both of IC Catholic.
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore Max Porter (St. Francis) was his lacrosse team's most valuable defensive player, causing a team-high 24 turnovers and winning 66 of 128 faceoffs. He was a first-team pick in the CCIW.
The ascension of Aurora University lacrosse coincided with the career of Max Obriecht (Naperville North). The senior led the Spartans to the Division III national tournament the past three seasons, each time earning honorable-mention All-America. Also a United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Scholar All-American, in 2015 Obriecht led Aurora with 49 goals, added 29 assists and won 188 of 319 faceoffs. He was the Midwest Lacrosse Conference offensive player of the year in his third season earning first-team honors.
Northwestern sophomore Anna Petersen (Metea Valley) had 2 hits in 5 at bats in just 5 games but still had an impact. She was Northwestern softball's Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.
Matt Walsh (WW South) looks to join a larger baseball program after concluding a stellar two-year turn at Lake Land College. As a freshman the special education major led the Lakers in batting average and on-base percentage, and this season the first baseman-outfielder hit .340 with a .427 on-base percentage. Walsh made just 4 errors this spring and earned all-region and all-conference in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference.
After hitting .203 as a freshman at Illinois, Pat McInerney (Benet) earned third-team all-Big Ten as a sophomore designated hitter for the 47-8 Illini. He hit .304 with 5 home runs, 33 runs batted in and a slugging percentage of .452.
Illinois Wesleyan sophomore catcher Pat Mollo (Naperville North) was named team MVP after hitting .361 with 8 home runs and 41 runs batted-in. His 18 doubles ranks fifth in a season at Wesleyan, and in CCIW play Mollo's slugging percentage was .679. He was named all-region by D3baseball.com.
Wisconsin-Whitewater freshman pitcher Lake Bachar (Wheaton North) earned Midwest Region rookie of the year by D3baseball.com. Third-team all-region and first team in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Bachar went 7-1 with a 2.24 earned run average, and held foes to a .231 batting average. Bachar also was the kicking specialist on the Warhawks football team that won the Division III national title.
Webster University in St. Louis returned to the Division III World Series, its third appearance in four seasons before being ousted in the semifinals on Tuesday. Sophomore C.J. Lee (Waubonsie Valley) went 5-1 with a 2.92 earned run average, striking out 55 batters in 61 innings pitched. Sophomore shortstop Matt Wollnik (Neuqua Valley) was one of three players who started all 49 games for the 34-15 Gorloks. The ballclub also offered junior pitcher Mitch Stefani (Waubonsie), freshman outfielder Zack Moberg (WW South), sophomore pitcher Johnny Lord (Neuqua) and sophomore outfielder Brett Jungles (St. Francis). Wollnik was a second-team selection in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Conference - and on the league's all-sportsmanship team - while Lee was newcomer of the year.
Another Wheaton North product, Wheaton College junior Katie Thornton put it all together to reap second-team All-America honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The CCIW softball player of the year, Thornton led the Thunder to a program-record 25 wins. At the plate she hit .420 with 29 runs batted in and 28 scored. Pitching a team-record 34 appearances Thornton went 15-9 with 3 saves and a 1.82 earned run average and a school-record 132 strikeouts.
Helping DePauw to fifth in Division III softball, all-region senior pitcher Kahla Nolan (Wheaton North) earned North Coast Athletic Conference pitcher of the year. The two-time NCAC first-teamer went 19-9 this season with a 3.09 earned run average, 132 strikeouts in 172 innings. Sophomore outfielder Julia Waggoner saw action in 50 of 52 games for the 36-16 Tigers, hitting .308.
More to come ...
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
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