LOCAL ROUNDUP: Three former Dans picked in MLB Draft
DANVILLE - Three former Danville Dans were picked up in the Major League Baseball Draft over the weekend.
Alabama's Tyler Fay, who played for the Dans in the 2023 season, was selected in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the 10th round, Mississippi State's Bryce Chance, who played in the 2022 season, was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays and in the 16th round, Louisiana Tech's Colton Coates, who played for Danville in the 2024 season, was picked by the Boston Red Sox.
With the three picked, the total of former Dans picked in the MLB draft has gone up to 36.
LEGION BASEBALL
Junior Gold splits at home
TILTON - The Post 210 Junior Gold beat Watseka Legion Post 23 7-3, but lost to Eureka Junior Legion, Post 466 12-2 on Sunday.
In the win, pitchers Owen Atwood, Calen Leeman and Fletcher Clem combined for 10 strikeouts, while AJ Van Camp had two RBIs, Tate McLaughlin had two hits and an RBI, and Ryker Dieu and Leighton Meithe each had one RBI.
Braxton Butler had two hits and an RBI in the second game for the Junior Gold, while Dayton Dubois had an RBI.
The Junior Speakers are 11-8 and will next play Friday against Watseka Legion Post 23 at 5:30 p.m.
WOMEN'S COLLEGE GOLF
Five Illini Named WGCA All-American Scholars
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Five Illinois women's golf student-athletes were named Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholars, as announced by the association on Monday afternoon. Erica Lee, Brielle Mapanao, Alexis Myers, Anna Ritter, and Victoria Zheng each received the recognition.
Rising sophomore Alexis Myers earned the honor for the first time after a strong freshman year both on and off the course, maintaining an unblemished 4.00 GPA, while also earning Big Ten Golfer of the Week, and Big Ten Freshman of the Week, twice. Myers is studying to earn her degree in communication.
Erica Lee earned the award for the second time in her career after a junior campaign in which she set career bests in finish (8th) and low round (68, -4) at the Badger Invitational. Lee was also the team's low scorer at the NCAA Stanford Regional, carding a 219 (+6). Lee is studying to earn her degree in advertising.
Recent graduate Anna Ritter departs Illinois as a three-time WGCA All-American Scholar. Her 73.11 scoring average in 2025-26 is her career-best, and she set a new course low-round record at the Big Ten Championships, carding a 65 (-5) on opening day at Oakmont Country Club. Ritter also matched her career-best finish of fourth at the Boilermaker Spring Classic, leading the Fighting Illini to a second consecutive team title at the event. She earned her undergraduate degree in communication.
Brielle Mapanao also earned her third All-American Scholar nod, and second at Illinois. The Australia native finished her collegiate career strong, with consecutive career-best finishes at the Boilermaker Spring Classic (10th) and Big Ten Championships (T-9th). Mapanao graduated with her degree in kinesiology and an unblemished 4.00 GPA.
Victoria Zheng tallied her second WGCA All-American Scholar award in two years at Illinois. In 2025-26, she earned her new season-low scoring average (73.58), and her best finish of the season came at the Badger Invitational (T-6th), where she carded a 211 (-5). Zheng graduated with her degree in finance, and a perfect 4.00 GPA.
The Fighting Illini have had at least five student-athletes named All-American Scholars in six consecutive academic years.
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