Prospect product Iovino strikes for academic honors at Dominican University

In addition to her skills on the soccer field, Dominican University senior Kelli Iovino also showed her talent in the classroom this year.

The Prospect High School graduate was named to the 2015 Academic All-America Division III women's soccer first team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Iovino is just the second student-athlete at Dominican University to garner Academic All-America First Team honors since the university joined the NCAA Division III ranks in 2000.

A psychology major, Iovino has maintained a 3.84 cumulative grade-point average through her first six semesters at Dominican.

She has been on the dean's list four semesters and the Honor's list two semesters while earning her third letter with the Dominican University women's soccer team in 2015.

Earlier this fall, the Arlington Heights native became the first member of the women's soccer program to earn Academic All-District honors from CoSIDA and the junior now becomes the first student-athlete in the program to earn Academic All-America honors.

Now for her work on the pitch.

Iovino has amassed a total of 96 points over her career with 42 goals and 12 assists in 48 games.

The last two seasons, Iovino has posted 17 goals and 20 goals in 2014 and 2015 respectively while starting every game for the Stars. In 2015, Iovino ranked second in the NACC and 19th national in total goals (20) while her 1.11 goals-per-game average ranked 16th across Division III. Her eight game-winning goals tied for the conference lead and ranked fifth across the country.

Men's basketball

Lake Forest freshman forward Danny Sotos (Conant) scored a game-high 29 points as the Foresters earned a 77-69 win at Lawrence University.

Sotos was 10-of-15 from the floor, 5-of-7 from 3-point range and 4-for-6 from the free throw line. He also grabbed 5 rebounds.

The Foresters are 1-0 in the Midwest Conference and 1-2 overall.

Sotos scored 9 points in his collegiate debut and 17 in his second game.

Women's basketball

Carthage sophomore guard Morgan Harris (Hersey) continued to be a scoring machine for the Lady Reds as she scored a game-high 29 points in a 64-57 win at the University of Chicago.

The Lady Reds (4-0) rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit as Harris enjoyed her third straight game with at least 20 points and her second double-double (she had 10 rebounds).

Harris is averaging 21.7 points per game.

Carthage freshman forward Monica Masini (Palatine) added a career-high 5 points to lead the Carthage frontcourt.

• Millikin received a double-double from senior Alyssa Saklak (Schaumburg) with 21 points and 14 rebounds in a 68-43 win over MacMurray College. Teammate Kelly Skorczewski (Schaumburg) came off the bench to score 9 points and grab 5 rebounds.

• Alabama-Birmingham freshman Deanna Kuzmanic (Wheeling) had 9 points for the Blazers (2-4) in a 65-56 loss to North Carolina State at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya Convention Center.

• St. Louis sophomore Jackie Kemph (Rolling Meadows) was 4-of-6 from the field and 3-of-3 at the free throw line while scoring 11 points in a 78-47 win over Eastern Illinois.

Teammate and classmate Jenny Vliet (Rolling Meadows) contributed a season-high 4 assists.

The 31-point victory margin is the Billikens' largest of the season.

• Cornell junior forward Diamond Boyd (Elk Grove) posted her first career double-double with a game-high 17 points and 12 rebounds as the Rams defeated MacMurray 89-31 at the Holiday Inn Express Thanksgiving Classic in Mitchell Hall.

Rams senior Maggie Hogen (Hersey) collected 12 rebounds while classmate Kellie Kuzmanic (Wheeling) and sophomore Renee Poulos (Hersey) added 8 points apiece. Poulos also collecting 7 rebounds.

The Rams totaled 21 assists, including 4 from Kuzmanic.

• Duke freshman Haley Gorecki (Fremd) registered double-digit scoring for the second straight contest with 11 points as the Blue Devils (6-1) closed out the Cancun Challenge with an 85-34 victory over Texas State.

Gorecki hit all three of her 3-point attempts.

The triumph gave the Blue Devils the Mayan Tournament championship at the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

Men's basketball

Oakton Community College men's basketball forward Mamadou Diarra was apprehensive at first when head coach Mick Reuter asked the team to participate in a service project to provide assistance making fleece blankets for infants in celebration of International Children's Day.

"I have to admit I was hesitant when coach approached us because I thought we would be knitting," said the 6-4 sophomore from Chicago in a news release from Oakton. "There was no knitting involved, and instead we helped tie ends of blankets. It turned out to be fun and a great bonding experience.

Diarra's team helped complete four of the 32 quilts that the Oakton community finished on Nov. 19.

"The student clubs will decide how to parcel out the quilts, but they will be distributed to needy children in the Chicago area or even across the world," said Oakton Service Learning Coordinator Karen Roth.

"Not everyone is blessed with the opportunities some of us have," said freshman forward Alex Wiewiora of Park Ridge. "Those blankets will go to someone in dire need and we can take pride in the fact that we did something as a group to help those less fortunate."

Reuter said his squad will be involved in future service projects. "We'll continue to be active at the college and in the community," he said. "It's vital for the team to do something for others without expecting anything in return. Helping out in the community is a character-building activity and helps our players become better men overall."

Women's hockey

St. Cloud State senior Katie Fitzgerald (Maine West) was named defensive player of the week in the Women's College Hockey Association.

During St. Cloud State's sweep of Ohio State, she held the Buckeyes to just 3 goals on 60 shots in the series.

Fitzgerald's 57 saves led the WCHA and ranked second nationally while her .950 save percentage was tops among league goaltenders on the week (and second nationally among netminders with the same criteria).

Fitzgerald made 24 saves in a 3-2 victory Friday and 33 stops in a 4-1 triumph, finishing the weekend with a 1.50 goals-against average.

Fitzgerald, a former all-area volleyball player at Maine West, also played softball for the Warriors.

Rugby

The Arlington Stallions Rugby Club will hold its annual sign-up day for the 2016 spring competitive season on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon at Camelot Park, located at 1005 E. Suffield in Arlington Heights. The Stallions offer competitive sides for boys from grades fifth through 12th.

The three-time state champion club is proud of its 11-year history of success and numerous alumni that have carried on to play in college.

Kevin Lydon (Conant, 2012) was recently named team captain of USA Rugby Division 1A semifinalist Davenport University for its upcoming spring season.

For more information about the Stallions, go to www.arlingtonstallionsrugby.com or call (847) 845-4982.

Mustang 3-on-3

The Rolling Meadows Athletic Booster Club is again sponsoring the 21st Annual Mustang 3-on-3 Shootout basketball tournament on Sunday, Dec 2.

The tournament is open to boys and girls from third grade through adult.

The games will be played between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. with the younger grades going earlier in the day.

All games will be played at Rolling Meadows High School and will be officiated. Concessions will be available through the Post Prom Committee. The cost is $100 per teamm and the deadline is Dec. 17.

Registration forms are online at rmhsboosters.com. Proceeds from this event go toward TPC's Post Prom Committee and the RMHS Athletic Boosters. Call Dave Dillon (847-525-8969) or Rick Kowalski (847-421-1258) with any questions.

• Please submit Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com.