TERRE HAUTE —
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.
A complete update of all the diamond sports participants will be coming in late March, but some of the early highlights among the DI newcomers are:
• Cody Gardner, Terre Haute North/Wright State — Gardner has started all three games for the Raiders so far, two in left field and one at designated hitter. He is second on the team in hitting at .500 (4 for 8) and has scored one run with two RBIs.
Gardner batted sixth in the order in the team’s first two games against Temple and LaSalle and hit fifth in Monday’s win over Dayton. The Raiders will be taking to the road the next two weekends, with three-game series at Clemson and UCLA.
• Haley Chambers, Riverton Parke-Cascade/SIU-Edwardsville — Chambers has been the starting pitcher in three of the first four games for the Cougars and has a 2-1 record with two complete games. She has struck out 28 batters and walked just three in 23.1 innings of work.
• Brooke Boetjer, South Putnam/Indiana — She’s started one game for the Hoosiers and has pitched seven total innings. She’s struck out four batters and walked two with a 9.00 earned-run average.
• Connor Strain, North Central/Evansville — Has made one relief appearance in three games for the Aces, walking two batters and striking two out without allowing a run.
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• Akers has high goals — Northview grad Austin Akers was one of five players honored at the Eastern Illinois men’s basketball Senior Night on Saturday, with a strong contingent of 25 friends, fans and family members in attendance.
It was a memorable night for many reasons. If not for the broken nose that the EIU point guard suffered in the first half, then it was for the team’s 79-70 upset win over highly regarded Ohio Valley Conference Western Division leader Murray State.
Akers had four points (4 of 6 at the line), four assists, one turnover and one blocked shot in 39 minutes of action.
Akers is second in the OVC in minutes played this year, averaging 35.1 points per game, and he ranks ninth in the league in assists at 4.0 per game while leading the conference in assist/turnover ratio at 3.1 (107 assists, 35 turnovers).
The transition from former coach Mike Miller to Jay Spoonhour has been smooth for the whole team, especially for Akers.
“I don’t need to score as much,” Akers said. “Coach Spoonhour wants me to run the team, just get everyone in the right place and kind of be the floor general. Miller wanted me to run my spot, find open shooters. Coach Spoonhour is more free flow and wants us to just go make a play.”
Akers predictably likes his vastly improved playing time, but admits it’s difficult at times.
“It’s rough,” he said. “Especially in some games like the Central Arkansas game, where it was more up and down the floor. It takes a little toll on the body, but we have media timeouts and coach Spoonhour knows when I’m pretty exhausted, so he’ll take me out and put me in when I’m ready.”
Akers, a biology major, knows that Saturday’s upset win proves to his team that anything is possible when it comes to the postseason.
“I want to get to not only the OVC tournament, but the NCAA tournament,” he said. “I know we are a long way away, but we have a good couple of weeks ahead. We could really get things rolling, upset a few teams and maybe make something happen, but my main goal is to first make the OVC tournament.”
Akers will return to Charleston next year to wrap up his undergraduate studies and he has a few ideas to choose from once he gets his degree.
“I have to finish some things up in school,” he said. “But if there is a chance to play overseas or somewhere else, I would take that opportunity. If not, I plan on going to dental school.”
• Sponsler closes out strongly — Terre Haute North grad Ross Sponsler closed out his freshman season Tuesday night, scoring a team-high 17 points in Wabash’s 77-72 loss to Kenyon in the quarterfinals of the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament.
Sponsler added three rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes, while South Vermillion grad Andy Walsh chipped in with 15 points and two rebounds.
Earlier this month, Sponsler was honored as the North Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the second time.
He scored 34 points and tallied seven rebounds and one assist for the week, leading Wabash with 14 points in its 52-48 home victory over rival DePauw. Sponsler added an assist and two rebounds.
He connected on 4 of 8 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 3-point tries, and was 3 of 5 from the free-throw line — including two in the final 16 seconds — to secure the win for the Little Giants.
Later that week, Wabash defeated eighth-ranked Wooster 55-48, handing the Scots their first NCAC loss of the season. Sponsler led both teams in scoring with 20 points, hitting three 3-point shots with a 7-of-8 effort from the free-throw line.
Once again, he connected on free throws in the closing minute of the game — this time hitting four tries in the last 12 seconds — to lock up the upset win.
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 tribstarcollegereport@yahoo.com.
College Report
COLLEGE REPORT: Spring newcomers making marks
- 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
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