TERRE HAUTE —
Terre Haute South grad Cole Vicars was the fifth leading hitter for Alcorn State’s baseball team last spring, but this year he has found more success on the pitching mound in leading the Braves to the top seed in the Eastern Division for the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.
Vicars pitched the Braves to their 10th straight win earlier this month in a 5-1 win over Alabama State on Senior Day.
The Braves pushed their overall record to 22-20 on the season with that win and are 19-4 in the SWAC East. ASU clinched its first Eastern Division crown since 2002 and fifth overall.
Vicars improved his record to 4-1 with that win, pitching himself out of a jam in the eighth inning. Alabama State got an unearned run for its only tally of the game, and there were still two runners on with no outs. Vicars turned up the velocity on his pitches and retired the next three batters to end the inning with no further damage.
He finished with seven K’s.
Vicars will take a 4-2 record into the SWAC tourney, with a 4.83 ERA in 10 games and one complete game. He has pitched 50.1 innings, allowing 15 walks while striking out 35.
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Odds and ends from a wet spring mailbag:
• Gott named All-Summit — Bloomfield grad Shelby Gott of Oakland University was named to the All-Summit League softball first team.
Gott, a freshman outfielder, missed 10 games with injuries but still had 25 hits, stole nine bases and batted .362. In league play, Gott hit .367 and had 15 chances with no errors.
She is just the third freshman in school history to make first team all-league.
• Maggert honored — Paris grad Emily Maggert of the Ball State University women’s basketball team received Academic All-Mid-American Conference honors for the first time in her career.
Maggert, a senior exercise science major with a 3.255 grade-point average, was a 2010 All-MAC Second Team selection and voted to the 2009 All-MAC Tournament team. Maggert led the team in scoring (14.6), rebounding (251) and blocks (31) this season.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.
Maggert holds the BSU record for rebounds in a season (329), fourth all-time in career rebounds (933), third all-time in career scoring (1,691), third all-time in free throws made (389) and ranks fourth all-time in career field goals (611). She also ended her career with 29 double-doubles.
• Miller glad to have AA — Eastern Illinois men’s basketball coach Mike Miller is happy to have added Northview grad Austin Akers of Olney Central to his 2011 recruiting class.
“Austin has the proven ability to create offense for himself and his teammates,” Miller said. “He can shoot the ball with range and make plays for himself and others with his ball handling skills.
“We feel that he not only fills a need as a guard in our program but also brings leadership, character and a strong work ethic.”
Akers earned first-team NJCAA All-Region 24 honors and first team All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference honors this season after leading OCC to an 18-13 record. He was the team’s leading scorer at 13.5 points per game and ranked 53rd nationally with 4.7 assists per game. The 6-2, 195-pound guard added 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.
Akers made 76 3-pointers in his career at OCC, starting all 62 games of his junior college career.
EIU added additional backcourt depth recently as former Connecticut player Darius Smith will join the Panthers following one season at the College of Southern Idaho, where he helped lead his team to the Junior College National Championship with a 33-4 record.
Schedules for the 2011-2012 season are not completed yet, but Todd Golden of the Tribune-Star reported last month that Indiana State is “anticipating” opening its season with a home game against Akers and the Panthers.
• Collett redshirting this spring — Terre Haute North grad Dougie Collett broke a few bones in his foot while practicing for Rose-Hulman’s baseball team several weeks ago and will miss the entire season.
He was medically released to practice last month, but he has been placed on medical redshirt status. Collett, a freshman who helped pace the Wayne Newton Post 346 team to a state championship last summer, is still practicing but will see no action.
• O’Leary getting attention — Terre Haute North senior-to-be basketball standout Matt O’Leary is playing this summer for Indiana Elite One, and is in action this weekend – along with THN classmate Ross Sponsler – in the Adidas May Classic at Bloomington.
O’Leary has received two scholarship offers so far this summer, one from Lewis University (a D-II school in northern Illinois in the Great Lakes Valley Conference) and one from St. Francis, an NAIA school in Fort Wayne.
O’Leary had one of his better games with 22 points last weekend at Fort Wayne in a loss to All-Iowa Attack, while Sponsler netted 13 against ACB Bank in the same tournament.
• Payton signs with SMWC — South Vermillion soccer standout Amanda Payton signed a letter of intent with Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College recently.
Payton lettered all four years as a varsity standout, anchoring the Wildcats in goal. She was named MVP in her sophomore year and was named All Western Indiana Conference honors in her sophomore and senior years.
She finished her career strong at South Vermillion, serving as captain and winning the school’s Gold Jacket Athletic Award.
Her coach, Sarah Guinn, says she has been “a great asset to the South Vermillion program, both on the field and in the classroom,” and is happy she’s taking her “great spirit and mental attitude to the Pomeroy squad.”
Payton has also been recognized as a leader at the high school and in her community, recently winning the prestigious Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Scholarship at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, awarded for a combination of academic excellence and service.
SMWC Coach Mike Aycock believes she will be able to step directly into a role in the Woods team. “Amanda will have a worthy challenge to step into a goalkeeper role with us, but I believe she has what it takes,” he said. “We’re delighted to have her, both as a player and as a student. She will see lots of action right away.”
• Maners named All-American — Owen Valley grad Jared Maners completed his collegiate career for the Oakland City men’s basketball team this winter, helping the Oaks to defeat the seventh-ranked Southeastern University Fire 61-56 in the consolation championship of the 2011 NCCAA Division I National Tournament.
It was the team’s 20th win for the season, matching their mark from last season, and finishing fifth in the tournament, two places above last year.
Maners scored a game-high 23 points, finishing his career with 1,050 points, and was named a NCCAA Division I First-Team All-American.
• Leonard invited to 19U tryouts — Robinson grad Meyers Leonard of the University of Illinois is one of 17 players who will compete June 17-24 for 12 spots on the 2011 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship basketball team.
Leonard, a sophomore-to-be for the Illini, is joined by Creighton’s Doug McDermott and Jeremy Lamb of national champion Connecticut among the invitees.
Others accepting invitations were Keith Appling of Michigan State, Melsahn Basabe of Iowa, Brad Beal of Chaminade College Prep, James Bell of Villanova, Anthony Brown of Stanford, Trevor Cooney of Wilmington, Del., Allen Crabbe and Richard Solomon of California, Tim Hardaway, Jr., of Michigan, Joe Jackson of Memphis, Travis McKie of Wake Forest, Tony Mitchell of North Texas, Josiah Turner of Sacramento, Calif., and Patric Young of Florida.
The team will be chosen on June 19, with the team leaving for Europe on June 24. The 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men is being held June 30-July 10 in Valmiera, Liepaja, and Riga, Latvia.
Joey Bennett is a former Tribune-Star sports reporter and copy editor who now teaches at Northview High School in Brazil. He can be reached at tribstarcollegreport@yahoo.com.
College Report
COLLEGE REPORT: Vicars pitches Alcorn to top seed
- College Report
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Catching up as the school year winds down
Odds and ends from here and there as the school year quickly winds down. For starters, high jumper Nick Jaeger of Terre Haute South was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s male track & field newcomer of the year:
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College Report: Lively earned collegiate upgrade with strong play
Hillary Lively signed to play Division II basketball at Maryville (Mo.) during her senior year at North Vermillion, but those plans changed and she would up at nearby Danville Area Community College — where she recently concluded an outstanding two-year career.
Lively was impressive enough to earn a Division I scholarship to Southeast Missouri State of the Ohio Valley Conference, and both her future and past college coaches think she will continue to succeed there.
“She fits what we need,” SEMO coach Ty Margenthaler said. “She has college experience, she is strong and physical and plays well around the basket and moves well.
“Her strength, rebounding and touch around the basket will be a big help. On the defensive end, she’ll be able to guard a true center.” -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley prep athletes getting ready for next level
The NCAA “regular” signing period begins Wednesday for all sports except football, field hockey, soccer, track and field, cross country and men’s water polo.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Conferences honor Valley softball players
Several Wabash Valley area college softball players have been honored by their respective conferences for outstanding play this spring.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Jake Newton makes big impact for Lincoln Trail College
Jake Newton had a long time between playing in competitive basketball games, a span of about 18 months, and used the frustration from that long dry spell to produce a stellar freshman season for Lincoln Trail College this winter.
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COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed earns SEC Player of the Week honors
After belting three home runs during a five games last week, Kentucky sophomore left-handed pitcher/first baseman A.J. Reed was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Spring newcomers making marks
Several freshman baseball and softball NCAA Division I players from the Wabash Valley have already made immediate impacts at their new schools, while others are waiting for their turns to shine.
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COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed named third-team preseason baseball All-American
Two-way sophomore standout A.J. Reed was one of three University of Kentucky players named third-team preseason All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Sponsler honored after big week for Wabash men's hoops
Wabash College freshman Ross Sponsler of Terre Haute North was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 6.
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COLLEGE REPORT: North grad Hughes finds success after facing preseason adversity
A.J. Hughes knew he was in for a battle as he competed with three other walk-on punters in the preseason for the lone starting job on the Virginia Tech football team.
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Etling, Meggs enjoying great year
It’s been a great year so far with more to come for a pair of longtime friends and St. Patrick’s School classmates.
Former Terre Haute resident Jack Meggs quarterbacked the Bellevue Wolverines football team to the Washington Class 3A state championship this fall, culminating with a 35-3 win over Sammamish Eastside Catholic — Bellevue’s fifth straight crown.
Danny Etling, meanwhile, has completed graduation requirements at Terre Haute South and is preparing for an upcoming high school all-star game and his first college classes in a couple of weeks. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley’s women’s college hoops players start strong
Several women’s college basketball players from the Wabash Valley have gotten off to good starts this season on the hardwood. Highlights:
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COLLEGE REPORT: Mayhew, Mascari provide fall highlights
Several dozen Wabash Valley athletes enjoyed successful fall seasons collegiately in cross country and tennis this year. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Former North teammates start strong in college
Former Terre Haute North teammates Ross Sponsler and Matt O’Leary made their college basketball debuts last week and had outstanding initial performances. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Shoemaker OBP leads Chisox farmhands
Former Indiana State, Olney Central and Northview baseball standout Brady Shoemaker opened a lot of eyes last summer in the Chicago White Sox farm system, earning him a spot on a mlb.com blog team that highlighted the team’s outstanding minor leaguers at each position.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Boeglin has plenty of ISU memories, but not all are related to basketball
Melanie Boeglin, an All-American who played on the women’s basketball team at Indiana State from 2002-2006, will be inducted into the 21st class of the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday.
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COLLEGE REPORT: North grad leading DePauw volleyball in winning streak
DePauw’s volleyball team has won seven straight matches entering this weekend’s DePauw Invitational, including four straight wins last weekend to capture the Rose-Hulman invitational title.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Engle moving up football coaching ranks
Michael Engle graduated from DePauw University in the spring of 2011 with a degree in political science and future plans to advance his studies in law school.
Being a coach’s son and a competitive athlete by nature, Engle has put those plans on hold for now. -
COLLEGE REPORT: From Terre Haute South to Division I competition to coaching careers
Adriane Wunderlich and Katelyn Bishop both turned stellar high school careers at Terre Haute South into Division I collegiate careers at Indiana State and Southern California, respectively.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Former prep athletes getting ready for fall college season
An impressive total of at least 122 Wabash Valley athletes and coaches will be competing collegiately for the first time during the upcoming school year or have changed schools to continue their careers.
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COLLEGE REPORT: SP’s Boetjer is Indiana’s Miss Softball
South Putnam’s Brooke Boetjer, who will be a freshman on the Indiana University softball team next spring, was named the 2012 Indiana Miss Softball last month between games at the North/South All-Star games in Carmel.
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College report: North grad Mayhew is second team all-American at IU
Indiana University running standout Zach Mayhew of Terre Haute North was honored earlier this month as a second-team All-American by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
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College report: Bloomfield runner to join IUPUI track, cross country teams
Bloomfield track/cross country standout Julie Riggins will be joining the developing IUPUI program next fall as one of six incoming recruits.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Roberts takes coaching position at UNC-Greensboro
Terre Haute native Mike Roberts is continuing his climb up the college basketball coaching ladder, recently departing Rice for a spot as the associate head coach at North Carolina-Greensboro.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Valley grads playing role for No. 13 Vincennes
A few springtime odds and ends:
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COLLEGE REPORT: Shouse making his mark for Danville Community College
Derek Shouse definitely flew under the radar in his one season of playing for the Terre Haute South boys basketball team last winter.
Not highly recruited, he made his way to Danville Area Community College as a walk-on with the hopes he could find his way onto the court at some point. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Bullock finds sunny home to continue tennis career
Most college athletes progress along similar paths to get to their final destinations athletically, but Terre Haute South grad Taylor Bullock’s route to the Eckerd College women’s tennis team was a little different than most.
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COLLEGE REPORT: TH South QB entertains Division I offers
Danny Etling’s trek to being a big-time college quarterback took a huge step this week when the Terre Haute South junior picked up a scholarship offer from Purdue, according to 247sports.com.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Seibert stepping up her game
Terre Haute South grad Haley Seibert has seen the usual ups and downs of her freshman basketball season at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne and is making the most of her opportunities this season.
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COLLEGE REPORT: Vikings Waters, Barton excited about college basketball
West Vigo grad Lauren Dailey helped the Lady Vikings basketball program to a lot of success at the end of the 1990s, and went on to play for Eastern Illinois from 2001-2004.
- More College Report Headlines
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Catching up as the school year winds down




