Local college sports briefs
McKendree bass team advances to national championship in July
The McKendree University bass fishing team narrowly missed on leading from wire-to-wire over three days at the Carhartt College Bass Fishing Wild Card tournament held on Lake Barkley in Paris, Tenn., on Friday, but finished in second and third place to qualify two boats for the Bassmaster/Carhartt College Series National Championship that will be held in July.
The tournament was the last chance for anglers to qualify for the the Bassmaster/Carhartt College Series National Championship in July in Stevens Point, Wis., on Lake Dubay. The top 13 boats at the conclusion of Friday’s weigh-in advanced to the National Championship field.
The boat of Phillip Germagliotti (Highland) and Shane Campbell (Highland) ended all three days in second place to qualify for next months final. The pair weighed in its third five-fish limit of the tournament on Friday at 12 pounds-one ounce for a three day total of 40 pounds-two ounces to finish as runner-up.
Jordan Ledbetter (Carlyle) and Trenton Robinson were in first place at the end of both day one and day two, but only weighed in four fish on Friday at eight pounds-12 ounces for a three-day total of 37 pounds, seven ounces to finish in third place. The pair will join their teammates at the national championship in July.
McKendree’s finish placed them above much larger schools such as Murray State University, Louisiana State University, Eastern Kentucky University, and University of Alabama.
The duo of Brock Wilke (Breese Mater Dei) and Austin Chapman missed out on advancing to the final day on Thursday with two fish weighing in at two pounds-11 ounces for a two-day total of five pounds-14 ounces to finish in 57th place.
SIUE track and field teams win award for sportsmanship
The Ohio Valley Conference announced that both the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men’s and women’s track and field teams have won the 2014-15 OVC Team Sportsmanship Award.
The award is voted on by OVC track and field student-athletes and coaches and given to the team who best exhibits standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the NCAA and the OVC.
“Without sportsmanship there are truly no meaningful victories,” said Beth DeBauche, OVC Commissioner. “The recipients of the OVC Team Sportsmanship awards should accept this award with great pride for their fellow competitors have made it clear their teams exemplify the best in intercollegiate athletics. In receiving this prestigious honor other competitors are saying these student-athletes compete with class, respect their opponents and value fair play. That is quite a compliment as those are all traits that will lead to true victories throughout the course of life.”
This is the first time the SIUE men’s or women’s track and field teams has won the Team Sportsmanship Award in the 10th year of the award which is given annually.
“We expect our athletes to be accountable for their performance,” said coach Eileen McAllister. “We expect them to see others’ performance as a positive challenge and not as a distraction. It’s not easy, especially in the heat of the moment. It’s a more productive perspective on competition by teaching responsibility.”
The SIUE men’s team finished third in the 2015 OVC Championship while the women’s team finished seventh.
SIUE’s Woodcock chosen freshman All-American
. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville baseball outfielder Dustin Woodcock, of Jacksonville, has been named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team as announced Wednesday by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Also chosen to the Ohio Valley Conference’s All-Freshman team, Woodcock appeared in 49 of SIUE’s 50 games, making 48 starts for the Cougars. He made 45 starts in right field. Woodcock was second on the team with a .306 batting average. He led the team with four triples, while adding nine doubles and six home runs. He was third on the team with 28 RBIs.
Woodcock is SIUE’s first Freshman All-American since Devin Caldwell was chosen following the 2011 season.
Two Bearcats receive NSCA All-American athlete award
McKendree University senior student-athletes Reuben Bowlby and Kelsey Johnson (Breese Central) have been selected to receive the 2015 All-American Athlete Award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
Bowlby and Johnson were honored for both their athletic accomplishments as well as their dedication to strength and conditioning. Both Bearcat student-athletes were nominated for the award by Jordan Fark, who serves as the strength and conditioning coach at McKendree.
“We are proud to have Reuben and Kelsey join the NSCA in its mission to safely improve athletic performance,” said Scott Caulfield, the head strength and conditioning coach for the NSCA. “Supporting student-athletes like Reuben and Kelsey guarantees a stronger future for the NSCA.”
A two-year starter at tight end for the McKendree football team, Bowlby flourished as a senior for the Bearcats in 2014. Bowlby established a new career-high with 21 receptions, which was tied for fourth on the McKendree squad. He had 217 receiving yards and caught one touchdown pass, which came against Saint Joseph’s College. Bowlby was a four-year letterman for the Bearcats.
Johnson was a two-year member of the McKendree volleyball program. She played a key role in helping the Bearcats to a 20-win season, a berth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship match and the program’s first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance. Johnson had a career-high 161 kills and finished second on the team with 31 service aces. She was also third on the squad with 262 digs while posting 31 blocks at the net.
Indiana State player transfers to play softball at SIUE
Talisa Morton will become a member of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville softball family beginning this fall to play for the Cougars.
Morton appeared in four games last season at Indiana State. She will have three years of eligibility with SIUE.
“I think for her she wants a new start and wants to win,” said SIUE coach Sandy Montgomery. “Any time we find kids who are competitive, want to win, and can bring something to your program you are lacking, we’re going to go for it.”
SIUE softball is coming off an impressive 43-win season. The Cougars earned their first Ohio Valley Conference regular season title in 2015.
Morton previously was a standout at Rockwood Summit High School, where she was a four-year starter. She capped off her prep career with a .470 batting average and a .506 on-base percentage during her senior season. She bats from the left side and throws right-handed.
“She can play the middle infield,” said Montgomery. “She is pretty fast and is a slapper. I think she handles the bat well and has good placement with what she is trying to do.”
The team’s Most Valuable Player and Co-Offensive Player of the Year as a senior, she also was a two-time All-Conference and All-District selection. Her prep resume includes three team Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Morton played three seasons (2012-2014) with the St. Louis Worth Prospects, leading the 2014 team to a third-place showing at the 18U ASA/USA Nationals. She played three seasons with the St. Louis Angels (2010-2012) and helped the Angels to a 17th-place finish at the 2011 ASA/USA Nationals.
A projected psychology major, she is the daughter of Jeff and Pam Morton.
Cougars sign junior transfer for men’s basketball
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men’s basketball coach Jon Harris continues to add to his roster ahead of the2015-16 season. Harris has announced the signing of junior transfer Devin Thornton.
Thornton comes to SIUE from Shawnee Community College in Ullin. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.
“We are very excited to have Devin join our Cougar family,” Harris said. “He brings experience to our roster and possesses strong leadership qualities.”
The 6-foot, 5-inch, 225-pound forward was second on the team in scoring as a sophomore at Shawnee. He averaged 13 points per game and also was second on the team in rebounding with an average of 6.3 rebounds per game. Overall, Thornton connected on 42.3 percent (123-291) of his shots from the field and better than 70 percent (119-169) of his free throws. He was second on the team with 70 assists and an average of 2.4 assists per game.
“He adds to our depth and versatility as a hybrid-type forward,” Harris added. “Devin can play inside-out, and has the ability to defend multiple positions.”
As a freshman at Shawnee, Thornton averaged 9.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Thornton attended Germantown high school in Memphis, where he was an All-Academic, All-Regional and All-District performer as a senior. He averaged 14.1 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.1 assist per game.
Bearcats place 14 on MIVA academic all-conference team
The McKendree University men’s volleyball team placed 14 players on the Academic All-Conference team for the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association for the 2015 season. The honor was announced Tuesday by the league office.
To be eligible for MIVA Academic All-Conference accolades, a student-athlete must have achieved a grade-point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale through the conclusion of the Fall 2014 semester. A total of 117 student-athletes from the nine MIVA member institutions earned Academic All-Conference honors. With its 14 honorees, McKendree was tied for the third-highest among the league schools for representation on the squad.
McKendree placed seven sophomores and seven freshmen on the Academic All-Conference team. The Bearcat sophomores include: right-side hitter Eric Abrolat; setter Jack MacLean; libero Brice Miller (Althoff ); right-side hitter Alexander Moll; outside hitter Michael Polizzi; libero Josh Thum and right-side hitter Maalik Walker. Freshman on the Academic All-Conference squad for McKendree are: setter Pasquale Fiduccia; libero Evan Lockwood; outside hitter Brian Lyman; outside hitter Nolan Rueter; opposite Robert Watkins; opposite Jared Wilcox and setter Ian Zalewski.
The 2015 season marked the first for McKendree as members of the MIVA. The Bearcats were 11-19 overall and 1-15 in their inaugural season of MIVA play.
This story was originally published June 9, 2015 at 11:36 AM with the headline "Local college sports briefs."