Division I standouts to visit Barrington's Fields of Dreams

There have been quite a few Division I recruits from Barrington High School's softball program who played at the Fields of Dreams over the years.

This Sunday, the whole field will be filled with D-I's.

Barrington's Field of Dreams will host a Division I college softball matchup between DePaul Blue and Illinois State at 1 p.m. The two teams will play one 10-inning game. Admission and parking is free to all spectators.

The game features two National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall Of Fame coaches. Eugene Lenti has directed DePaul softball since 1980 and has amassed a 1,236-605-6 record.

Melinda Fischer has led the Illinois State Redbirds since 1986 and has collected a career record of 1,000-695-4 during her time with both the Redbirds and two seasons at Eastern Illinois University in 1978-79.

Lenti and Fischer are two of only 18 head coaches in NCAA Division I softball who have won 1,000 games.

Each team has familiar local products.

Illinois State features freshmen Shannon Felde of Schaumburg and Ryann Scully of St. Edward. Felde led the Saxons to 30 consecutive victories last spring and a berth in the sectional final.

Former Leyden standout Morgan Maize (2B/3B) and former York outfielder Angela Scalzitti are on the diamond for DePaul.

Scalzitti's York team played Barrington in the 2013 IHSA third-place game.

"We are excited to host such a terrific event," said Barrington softball coach Perry Peterson. "It was common for us to host the Division I teams in the 1990s until NCAA regulations were tightened as to the number of fall games each school could play.

"We look forward to the return of big-time college softball at the Fields of Dreams and aim to provide an outstanding venue for these two great institutions."

Taylor Skala nomination

St. Viator graduate Taylor Skala is one of nine former college athletes who the NCAA has named as finalists for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, which will be announced Oct. 18 during a ceremony in Indianapolis.

Three women from each NCAA division were selected. Their college careers are highlighted by outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.

The nine finalists are among 30 Woman of the Year honorees who will be recognized during the event. This group of 30 includes 10 honorees from each NCAA division and represents a range of sports. Schools nominated 480 college athletes for the 2015 award.

Skala, a Long Grove resident, was a dual-sport athlete, competing in soccer and basketball all four years at Rockhurst University. In 2014-15, she was the women's basketball team captain. She served on her campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the vice president for marketing and spent an additional two years as chair of SAAC's Make-A-Wish fundraising committee. In 2014, Skala volunteered to assist doctors with medical procedures in the Dominican Republic.

Skala studied cell and molecular biology and graduated with honors. She earned multiple academic accolades, including Capital One Academic All-America honors in 2014. Skala was named to the dean's list every year and received the school's Edward Kos Award for Academic Achievement in Cell and Molecular Biology.

Skala was a member of multiple honor societies on campus, received the Chancellor's Academic Scholarship and was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Fall Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2012.

She led Rockhurst's soccer team to three NCAA tournament appearances. In 2011, she was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year. Skala holds the school record for goals scored and career points, and in 2014 was named the Daktronics, Inc. Midwest region Player of the Year. In basketball, Skala was a three-time honoree on the GLVC's All-Defensive Team. In 2015, Skala became the first female student-athlete at Rockhurst to win the GLVC's Richard F. Scharf Paragon Award, which recognized her as the league's female athlete of the year for displaying academic excellence, athletic ability and achievement, character and leadership.

Women's tennis

Augustana junior Lauren Goggin (Buffalo Grove) was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin's Player of the Week.

As coach Jon Miedema's No. 1 player, Goggin went 2-0 in the Vikings' 8-1 victory over conference rival Carthage. The Vikings improved to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play.

Goggin defeated Max Mella 6-3, 6-4.

Goggin teamed up with sophomore Mollie Magee (Olathe East HS, Overland Park, Kan.) at No. 2 doubles and they defeated Casey Frommer and Taylor Bolyard (8-5).

The doubles team is 5-0 this season after combining to go 10-3 when paired together last year. On the season, Goggin is 7-1 in singles play with her sole loss coming in the Wisconsin Whitewater Invitational tournament final against Gabi Kitchell (2-6, 6-4, 0-1 (3-10).

In doubles play she is 6-0 on the season, pairing with Magee for her last five victories after winning her first doubles match with Caitlyn Schaffer (Kenwood Academy of Chicago).

Goggin, an accounting major, is a two-time first team All-CCIW team selection with a singles career record of 51-21. She is 10 victories away from cracking the top-10 all-time singles victories list.

She is the second Viking to earn conference player of the week honors this season, joining Magee who won the award on Sept. 9.

Volley for the Cure

Palatine High School's Girls volleyball program will host Fremd on Thursday for the annual Volley for the Cure event.

Volleyball matches will be played between the cross-town rivals who will also come together as one community to help raise funds to find a cure for breast cancer.

The event will include raffles, a bake sale, and a great deal of community spirit.

For more information, contact Joyce Richardson at jrichardson@d211.org.

Women's soccer

Olivet Nazarene's Jessica Schmidt (Hersey) scored the deciding goal in the 14th-ranked Tigers opening season 4-3 upset of No. 4-ranked Cumberland University in Lebanon, Kent.

• Augustana junior Brianne Frys (Fremd) leads the Vikings in assists with 6 for the season.

Women's volleyball

North Central senior Laura Kluk (Palatine) handed out a match-high 37 assists against Wisconsin Lutheran College. She is now ranked third on the program's all-time list.

Women's cross country

North Central junior Amanda Cortese (Hersey) placed 16th at the Wheaton College Gil Dodds Invitational with a time of 23:27. The Cardinals finished fourth in a 13 team field with 91 points.

Men's soccer

Concordia-Chicago's Nick Cardenas (Hoffman Estates) scored the Cougars' only goal in a 3-1 loss to Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wis. Cardenas' first goal of the season came from 25 yards out.

Hersey Girls Feeder

The 2015-16 Hersey Girls Feeder Basketball tryouts will be held on Sunday, Nov. 1 and Sunday, Nov. 8 at Hersey High School (main gym).

All girls from fifth to eighth grades living in the Hersey attendance area are invited to try out. Times are as follows on both dates: Fifth grade at 3:30 p.m.; eighth grade at 4:45 p.m.; seventh grade at 6 p.m. and sixth grade at 7:15 p.m. Please arrive 15 minutes early to register. Bring your own basketball. For further questions, contact sjs@4scp.com

Knights Basketball Clinic

Prospect girls basketball coach Gabrielle Cottrell Lovin will run a clinic with the help of her staff and high school players on Sunday, Oct. 11 at the Jean Walker Field House House at Prospect. It is for fifth through eighth graders: fifth: 9 a. m. l to 10:30 a.m.; sixth: 10:30 a.m. to noon; seventh: noon to 1:30 p.m.; eighth: 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Lovin broke more than 10 records in the girls basketball at Prospect and three more at the Division I collegiate level while playing at Manhattan. She is excited to have her program share its knowledge with future Knights players.

Registration is online at the website below or visit twitter @PHSGirlsBball1 to see the information. You can also show up the day of the clinic. Bit it is preferred if you to register to assure we proper staffing. Cost is $25 per athlete. Cash and checks are accepted. Please make checks out to Prospect High School. If you have any questions feel free to contact coach Lovin. The registration link is www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4BA8AD2AA6FE3-registration

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