TERRE HAUTE —
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.
Less than 24 hours after receiving the conference award, he earned a spot on the D3hoops.com Team of the Week, presented by Scoutware.
Sponsler averaged 25 points a game to help the Little Giants to a 1-1 record for the week in league in play. He scored a career-high 29 points in a 69-61 loss by Wabash to Hiram College on Friday night. Sponsler scored 18 points on 3-point shots, hitting 6-of-18 long-range attempts against the Terriers. He also handed out a season-high 5 assists.
The next day, Sponsler led the Little Giants in scoring with a 21-point effort — his third 20-plus points game of the season — in a 95-87 triple-overtime win against Allegheny. His seven rebounds against the Gators were also a season-best total.
Sponsler leads the team with a 12.5 points-per-game average.
He also averages 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 31 percent from 3-point range.
In other news:
• Dirks paces Racers — Robinson grad Kelsey Dirks, a freshman at Murray State, is the team’s leading rebounder at 6.6 per game.
She had career-highs of 20 points and 11 rebounds against MCU on Dec. 6 for her second-straight double double. She earlier had five blocks against Ball State.
• Hughes honored — Terre Haute North grad A.J. Hughes recently received several all-bowl team designations after his performance against Rutgers for Virginia Tech in the Russell Athletic Bowl last month.
Hughes punted 11 times for a 42.7 average, and earned all-bowl honors from USA Today, Scout.com, Collegefootballfocus.net and ESPN’s College Football Nation Blog.
• Etling impresses in Texas — Terre Haute South’s Danny Etling participated in the Offense-Defense Bowl all-star football game in Houston last month.
While game statistics were not available online, Etling drew praise from 247sports.com for his work in the practices leading up to the game.
“The Purdue commitment is not the highest-ranked quarterback in the game but he has been the best through two days so far. Etling is not a huge presence in the pocket at 6-foot-2.5 and 210 pounds but he is big enough to see over the line and make very good reads,” blogger Brian Paroni said.
“Etling is comfortable sitting in the pocket and is able to check down off of his primary receiver – something that is not always easy for high school quarterbacks to do. He is enrolling at Purdue in two weeks and he has a chance to earn very early playing time with a solid performance this spring.”
• Mahurin transfers — Rockville grad Beth Mahurin transferred from Murray State after three semesters on the volleyball team there.
Mahurin relocated to Division II Illinois-Springfield earlier this month, but has since left UIS.
• Recruiting trail — Lane Mahurin and Gary Ulrich of Class A No. 1-ranked Rockville have made their college choices, with Mahurin choosing Indiana Wesleyan and Ulrich headed to Wabash to hook up with Sponsler. More on them later.
Robinson’s Aaron Siler drew interest from Southern Indiana during the Wabash Valley Pizza Hut Classic, and has also heard from numerous Division III and junior college programs.
• Buss smashing records — Mount Carmel (Ill.) junior basketball standout Tyra Buss recently set a school record with 54 points in the championship game of the Eldorado Tournament in a win over Goreville.
She was named the tournament MVP for the third straight year.
Buss is the only Illinois high school basketball player (male or female) to have surpassed the 3,000 mark in career points, and still has one more year after this one. She has verbally committed to play for Indiana University.
While Mount Carmel is not in the Tribune-Star coverage area, she has a strong local tie in her grandfather — award-winning Tribune-Star photographer Bob Poynter, who could play some hoops back in his day as well.
College Report
COLLEGE REPORT: Sponsler honored after big week for Wabash men's hoops
- 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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