TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State track and field standouts Kylie Hutson of Terre Haute North and Erica Moore of Sullivan will complete an outstanding season for Wabash Valley area as they travel to Des Moines, Iowa, for the NCAA Championships which begin on Wednesday.
While their well-documented achievements this season are the highlights of area performances, there were many other tremendous efforts as well.
Among those are:
• Cooksey top Patriot coach — Terre Haute Gerstmeyer graduate Steve Cooksey, men’s track coach at the Naval Academy, was named the Coach of the Year by the Patriot League after guiding the Midshipmen to their first Patriot League outdoor track and field championship in school history, scoring 199 points to outdistance second-place Army by 20 points.
The title snapped Army’s 16-year title run and the Mids became the first team other than Army to win the title since 1991.
The victory also allowed Navy to claim both the indoor and outdoor titles in the same season for the first time and gave Navy its seventh Patriot League championship in all sports during the 2007-08 season.
“The athletes did a great job motivating themselves and knowing what needed to be done,” said Cooksey, a member of the Indiana State Hall of Fame. “We had some letdowns in spots and a couple of key injuries that cost us points, but our underclassmen really stepped up. It was a total team effort.”
Cooksey owned a 245-32 (.884) record at Navy entering this season, his 20th at the helm of the men’s track & field teams.
Over his first-19 seasons as head coach of the Midshipmen, teams coached by Cooksey have had 11 individuals earn to a total of 18 All-America honors.
Under the guidance of Cooksey, the Mids have registered at least 10 combined victories for 15-straight seasons and in 16 of his 19 years. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, he has guided his teams to a stellar 134-10 (.931) record.
Cooksey, an associate professor in the physical education department at the Academy, was named the recipient of the 2003 Superintendent’s Distinguished Athletic Leadership Award for teaching and coaching.
• Burris honored — Terre Haute North grad Michael Burris of Rose-Hulman was named as a second-team choice for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team in track and field, with two first-squad selections.
Burris has won a pair of 110-meter high hurdle championships in HCAC meets during the first two years of his college track career. He has added a pair of second-place finishes in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.
In addition, Burris was named the 2007 HCAC Freshman of the Year in track and field and also added third-place finishes in the long jump and 4x100-meter relay at this spring’s league meet.
Burris carries a 3.91 grade point average in mechanical engineering.
• Aouad wins honor — Sophomore Emmanuel Aouad of Terre Haute North was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Sprinter/Hurdler of the Week in April. Aouad ran the fastest time of the season for an NCAC athlete in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles to earn the award.
Aouad took second overall and was the top finisher among non-Division I athletes in the 400 hurdles at the Rose-Hulman Twilight Invitational. He crossed the finish line in 54.93, besting his top time of the year by over a second. Aouad also finished fourth in the 110-meter high hurdles and was third in the long jump.
Aouad repeated as the long jump and 55-meter hurdles champion at the North Coast Athletic Conference meet. He won the 55 hurdles with a time of 7.72, posting another NCAA provisional time in an attempt to qualify for the nationals in two weeks. His long jump mark of 6.81 meters or 22 feet 4-1/4 inches was five inches further than his winning mark from last year.
• Leeth shines — Southern Illinois sophomore Sasha Leeth of Paris finished 24th in the hammer throw at 172-0 in the NCAA Regional.
She was also one of 54 female student-athletes named to the 2008 MVC track & field scholar-athlete teams, and also was named to the all-conference team in the hammer throw.
Leeth has a 3.067 GPA in administration of justice.
Terre Haute North grad Miracle Thompson, also of SIU, scored two points at the MVC meet with a seventh-place finish in the pole vault by clearing 11-01.75.
• Begerman honored — Franklin College’s Ryan Begerman of Terre Haute South, who posted two top-three finishes at the Manchester College Invitational on April 5, was selected the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.
The senior finished second in the 400-meter low hurdles (57.91 seconds) and placed third in the 110-meter high hurdles (16.7 seconds). Begerman earned the honor for the third time in his career. He was recognized as the conference’s top weekly athlete twice in 2006.
Joey Bennett is a former Tribune-Star sports reporter and copy editor who now teaches and coaches at Northview High School in Brazil. He can be reached at tribstarcollegereport@yahoo.com.
College Report
College Report: ISU track’s Hutson, Moore head to NCAA Championships
- College Report
-
-
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:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley grads playing role for No. 13 Vincennes
A few springtime odds and ends:
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
-
Catching up as the school year winds down
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Raw: Tornadoes Spotted in Kansas
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Obama Exhorts Good Deeds by Morehouse Graduates
Music Therapy Bonds Parents and Preemies
Raw: Gun Scare Mars Cannes Film Festival
Raw: Suicide Bomber Kills 2 Americans, 13 Others
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
China, Others Want What's Under the Arctic Ice
Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House
One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh
Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage
Today in History for May 19th
Winning Powerball Ticket Sold in Florida
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel
Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony
Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash
Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder
Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner
Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Beyonce Is Pregnant!
SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch
See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion
Woman tricked into taking abortion pill
Emma Watson Goes Pantless
IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes
Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety
Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos
Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths
