Sexton Signs with Newman University

Sexton recently committed to Div. II Newman University in Wichita, Kansas. (Jim Cummins)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – Harper men's basketball point guard Kevin Sexton (/Prospect) recently signed his NCAA Letter of Intent to continue his college basketball career at Div. II Newman University in Wichita, Kansas.

Sexton, a Second Team All-Conference and All-Region Selection for the Hawks, started all 31 games this past season and scored 12.3 points per game. He averaged a team-best 4.4 assists per game and was also the best free throw shooter in the nation at the NJCAA Div. III level at 86.9 percent.

He joins a Jets program coached by Mark Potter, who is 290-180 in 16 seasons at Newman. The Jets finished 9-17 overall and 6-12 in Heartland Conference play last season.

"They play an up-tempo game, and I really like the way coach Potter coaches the game," Sexton said. "He has confidence in his players, and it was just a perfect fit."

Potter and his coaching staff saw Sexton at a junior college showcase in Kansas City, and he visited the school the following weekend. He feels his Harper experience prepared him for this next step in his college basketball career.

"It was good to play against college competition and the guys that I grew up with," he said.

Sexton plans to major in sports management.

Four Baseball Players Commit to Four-Year Schools

Yfantis, Kiesel, Jones and Ori are all moving on to play at four-year schools. (Jim Cummins)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College baseball team won 24 games in 2014, and now four players from that team will be continuing their college baseball careers at four-year schools. Starting pitchers Steven Yfantis (Prospect Heights, Ill./Wheeling) and Brent Kiesel (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood), catcher Zack Jones (/Maine South) and second baseman Neal Ori (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) all recently committed.

Yfantis will play for NCAA Div. II Colorado State University-Pueblo. The right-handed pitcher went 5-4 with a 4.13 ERA in 2014. He led the Hawks in several pitching categories including games started (9), innings pitched (56 2/3) and complete games (8).

Kiesel will play for NAIA Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill. The right-handed pitcher went 4-3 with a 4.70 ERA in 2014 and earned Second Team All-Region honors. Kiesel's brother, Ryan, played for the Trolls from 2010-13.

Jones joins Kiesel, as he recently committed to Trinity Christian College as well. As a freshman, Jones was Harper's starting catcher and hit .297 with 13 RBIs in 37 games. He earned Second Team All-Conference honors for the Hawks and was outstanding defensively behind the plate, throwing out a nation-best 19 runners attempting to steal.

Ori will continue his collegiate career at NCAA Div. III University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He started 44 games for the Hawks and drove in 14 runs and led the team in walks with 21. Ori was a steady presence at second base with a .957 field percentage and only committed six errors.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Butman Back to His Roots at Harper College

PALATINE, Ill. – Back in the mid 1970s, the Harper College men's basketball team played their home games at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights because the fieldhouse at Harper burned down.  A young Wally Butman, a graduate of Conant High School, began his college basketball career at Harper College playing for Roger Bechtold. Little did Butman know things would come full circle and that he would be coaching at the college where he first received an opportunity to play.

Butman earned team MVP honors for the Hawks in 1976 and graduated from Harper with his Associate of Arts degree in Education. He moved on to Northern Illinois University and played AAU basketball while pursuing his Bachelor of Education degree.

Butman discovered his passion for coaching after graduation from NIU, as he taught and coached at the junior high and high school level for six years before moving into the business world. Currently, Butman is the Vice President of Sales at Buffalo Grove-based Profile Products, a manufacturer of erosion control and sports field products, where he has been for the last 10 years.

He credits his experience at Harper as having a huge impact on his career path, leading him to success. While Butman thrived in the business world and seemed to have left coaching basketball behind, a young Justin Welke began his coaching career in Evanston.

Butman had been long-time family friends with the Welkes and began following Justin's coaching career. He was very impressed with what he saw.

"I went to a number of the games and I found his coaching style and work ethic to be really great and refreshing," he said.

Welke was hired to be the new coach of the Hawks in mid-April. He didn't hesitate to ask Butman, who lives in Crystal Lake with his wife Eileen, to help out with the Harper program.

"This was a great opportunity to connect with him here and help out," Butman said. "Student-athletes have a lot at their disposal, and it's fantastic. To be a part of it and be able to help some of the young student-athletes is a flashback and a real dream come true."

Butman relishes the opportunity to help new student-athletes on their basketball journey. Looking at his experience at Harper, he still is very close with former teammates Steve Schmidt and Gary Davis and plans on inviting alumni back to support the program.

Butman, Welke, and their other assistant, Mauricio Vaca, have put together some creative things to help players develop as students and athletes to get them to the next level.

"I know from personal experience they'll reflect on it years from now and say 'boy that Harper experience was fantastic.' Hopefully I can be a part of that."

Igielski Signs with Harper College

Igielski recently signed to play for the Harper volleyball program. (Bill Smith)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – St. Edward High School volleyball player Shannon Igielski signed her NJCAA Letter of Intent to play for Harper, joining high school teammate Alicia Martinez as the latest players to join the Hawks.

Igielski, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter, was a three-year letter winner and earned All-Conference Honorable Mention playing for the Green Wave and coach Jamie Dovichi. Harper head volleyball coach Bob Vilsoet remembers watching her play as a freshman in high school, hoping she would end up playing at Harper where hes older sister, Stephanie Igielski, played from 2011-2012.

"I like it when siblings play at Harper College," Vilsoet said. "It means the older sister had an enjoyable experience, otherwise, why would the younger sister play here, too."

A proven winner, Igielski's club team, the Sky High Volleyball Team, won four tournaments and finished runner-up in two tournaments. She plans on studying nursing at Harper College and is eager to begin her college volleyball career playing for coach Vilsoet.

"He's very honest and very energetic," Igieslski said. "It's exciting that I already know most of the girls on the team."

Website Relaunch Set for June 4

PALATINE, Ill. – In collaboration with SIDEARM Sports, harperhawks.net will be relaunching with a brand new look on Wednesday, June 4.

"We are excited and proud to continue our partnership with Harper College Athletics, and we anticipate continued visitor growth and a more user-friendly experience on all devices moving forward," said Dave Meluni, SIDEARM Sports Vice President Sales/Business Development.

SIDEARM Sports is currently powering the websites of 727 NCAA DI, DII, DIII plus NAIA, NJCAA, NCCAA, CIS and high school athletic programs.

"We are thrilled to continue this great partnership with SIDEARM and cannot wait to unveil the fresh, new look," said Harper Sports Communications Assistant Bill Smith. "They have provided amazing service over the last few years and have come up with a new design that will make any student –athlete proud to be a Harper Hawk."

Pratscher Signs with Harper College

Pratscher recently signed to play for the Harper men's basketball team and new head coach Justin Welke. (Bill Smith)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College men's basketball program added some size to its recruiting class, as 6-foot-11 center Jonathan Pratscher recently signed his NJCAA Letter of Intent to play for the Hawks.

Last season, Pratscher was forced to redshirt due to injury but is ready to play for head coach Justin Welke and his staff.

"I like how they are really involved in the students' lives and really build into you," he said. "Last year I learned a lot and was able to scout, and it gave me a better understanding of what I'm going up against (this year). It taught me to be patient and wait my turn."

While he could not help the Hawks on the court last year, the gentle giant reached out and embraced honorary team member Kadeen Alansari.

"Jonathan's 7-foot stature became even taller in my eyes," said Harper Director of Athletics and Fitness Doug Spiwak in a February article. "When I saw the student-athlete reach out to befriend his new teammate, I was reassured that our program attracts individuals with good character."

Off the court, Pratscher is studying sports medicine and aspires to be a doctor for a sports team.

Martinez Signs with Harper College

Martinez recently signed to play for the Harper volleyball program. (Bill Smith)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College volleyball program recently signed St. Edward High School volleyball player Alicia Martinez.

The 5-foot-6 defensive specialist was a two-year letter winner for the Green Wave and coach Jamie Dovichi. Harper head volleyball coach Bob Vilsoet has been impressed with Martinez since her sophomore year in high school. This past year, she also played at Sky High Volleyball Club and was coached by former Harper player Becky DePaepe.

"Alicia is an excellent serve receiver, defender and has a very strong serve that she will place anywhere she wants on the court. Over the years, she has continued to improve dramatically into a very effective DS/Libero," Vilsoet said.

Martinez said her decision to come to Harper was easy because it's a good school, and the volleyball program is the best in the area. She is planning on majoring in either health care administration or eduction and is thrilled about starting her collegiate volleyball career in the fall.

"We've all basically played together, and we all love each other," Martinez said of her future Harper teammates. "Coach Bob is really supportive and gives a lot of positive reinforcement."

Richard "Duke" Geary Recognized at Banquet

Geary was honored at the Harper College Spring Sports Banquet. (Bill Smith)

 

Richard "Duke" Geary Plaque-PDF

PALATINE, Ill. – At the Harper College Spring Sports Banquet Wednesday night, Richard "Duke" Geary, who retired in February after 34 years at Harper, was presented with a plaque thanking him for his dedication to the college.

Spring in the Midwest is the most difficult time for a groundskeeper, but Geary was always there through rain, cold, snow, wind and ominous skies, doing everything he could to get the fields ready to play. Usually ankle deep in mud and covered in striping paint, Geary did whatever it took to get the job done.

"His joy and pride came from seeing athletes take the field," said Harper Director of Athletics and Fitness Doug Spiwak, who presented Geary the plaque along with track and field coach Renee Zellner, baseball coach Cliff Brown and softball coach Cray Allen.

Geary never complained about the early mornings and difficult conditions. Instead, he used the time to mentor students who had the opportunity to work with him on the grounds through the work study program at Harper. It was there that he contributed to student success by showing students his personal touch in preparing the fields.

"His eyes are clear and his hands are softer now that he has retired, but his heart is still the one of a man who dedicated his life's work to student success," Spiwak said.

One who is not used to getting so much attention, Geary sheepishly accepted his award in front of a room of 100 people and offered his insight about what he enjoyed about his time working at Harper.

"First, I enjoyed working with the kids. Second, I enjoyed working with the coaching and staff because I was always interacting with them. Finally, I got the most satisfaction out of seeing the kids playing that first inning," he said.

 He paused and added one more thing.

"It was worth it," Geary said.

Vukovic Signs with Harper College

Vukovic recently signed to play for the Harper men's basketball team and new head coach Justin Welke. (Bill Smith)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – New head men's basketball coach Justin Welke continued strengthening his recruiting class, as Vuk Vukovic recently signed his NJCAA Letter of Intent to play for the Hawks.

Vukovic, a 6-foot-1 shooting guard from Hersey High school and current Harper student, earned team Most Valuable Athlete and Best Defensive Player awards for the Huskies. Vukovic also played soccer and water polo for Hersey.

Vukovic, a kinesiology major, was injured last August as he prepared for the Harper basketball season but is fully healed and eager for the 2014-15 season.

"I'm ready to put work in for the team to get quicker and better. It's a lot more work than just playing a pick-up game. You have to go to the gym and train," Vukovic said.

Mushtaq Signs with Harper College

Mushtaq recently signed to play for the Harper men's basketball team and new head coach Justin Welke. (Bill Smith)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College men's basketball program and new head coach Justin Welke recently held a signing day for their first recruiting class. Abdul Mushtaq signed his NJCAA Letter of Intent to play for the Hawks.

Mushtaq, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard from Wheeling High School who is a current Harper student, is excited to get his Harper College basketball career started and impressed with the professionalism of the new coaching staff.

"They keep you on point with what you need to do and are helping you with your game," he said.

The engineering major plans on working hard this summer to get ready for the basketball season.

"I'm going to get back in shape and work on my scoring and ball-handling," Mushtaq said.

Four Hawks Tabbed as All-Conference Players

Fingerman, Cummings, Cannon and Liewergen earned All-Conference honors. (Jim Cummins)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – In a year where the Harper College women's softball team finished above .500 in North Central Community College Conference (N4C) play with a 9-8 record, four players were picked as All-Conference honorees. Raegan Fingerman (Fox River Grove, Ill./Barrington) garnered First Team All-Conference honors, and Sam Cummings (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park), Lindsay Cannon (McHenry, Ill./McHenry West) and Tori Liewergen (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove) picked up Second Team All-Conference honors.

Fingerman, also a First Team All-Region choice, dominated league play, hitting .482 with a .508 OBP, four homers, 23 RBIs and 16 runs in 17 games. The first-ever softball player to win Harper College Athlete of the Week led the Hawks in hitting with a .466 average and four homers, a team-best 38 RBIs, 41 hits, seven doubles and two triples in 26 games.  

"She led us in almost every offensive category this season and did everything we asked of her," said Harper head softball coach Cray Allen. "She has such a great personality that gives every teammate great memories."

Cummings provided more pop in the middle of the Harper lineup, hitting .342 with a .422 OBP, four homers and 14 RBIs in just 13 N4C contests. In 22 games, the freshman posted a .353 average with five homers (T-24^th in nation) and 26 RBIs.

"She's a tremendous offensive player who I enjoyed watching in high school and during the summers," Allen said. "She had a great conference tournament and helped lead us offensively throughout the season. It was very rewarding for me to have a fellow Lake Park Lancer player in our program."

Cannon hit .389 with a .476 OBP and scored 23 runs while using her speed to swipe nine bags in 17 conference games. The First Team All-Region selection was second on the team with a .373 average and first in runs scored with 37.

"She is a tremendous teammate and is always positive even during the toughest moments of the season," Allen said.

Liewergen, also a Second Team All-Region honoree, went 6-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 95 innings in the circle going up against strong N4C competition and won eight games overall. At the plate, she hit .278 with 11 RBIs in conference and .337 with 20 RBIs overall.

"Tori was not scared of a single batter as she would compete each and every pitch while on the mound," Allen said. "She gained a lot of respect from a lot of us as the year progressed."

Five Hawks Selected to All-Region Team

Becker and Wazorick earned First Team All-Region honors. (Jim Cummins)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper baseball team recently had five players selected to the All-Region Team. Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) and Mickey Wazorick (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) received First Team All-Region honors, while Theo Yfantis (Prospect Heights, Ill./Wheeling), James Ioriatti (/Hersey) and Brent Kiesel (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) garnered Second Team All-Region honors.

Becker hit .494 with a .531 OBP, three homers, 30 RBIs, 79 hits, 15 doubles, four triples and 14 stolen bases in 46 games. The standout sophomore was also named N4C Conference MVP, First Team All-Conference, NJCAA Div. III Player of the Week and Harper College Athlete of the Week.

Wazorick, also a First Team All-Conference selection, won a team-high six games on the mound for the Hawks and posted a 6-2 record with a 4.47 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings.

Yfantis, also a First Team All-Conference selection, batted .304 with two homers and a team-best 31 RBIs hitting in the middle of the order. Ioriatti served as the team's primary designated hitter, hitting .296 with 29 RBIs in 40 games.

Kiesel, a right-handed pitcher, compiled a 4-3 record, 4.70 ERA and one save in 46 innings for the Hawks.

"I'm proud of the effort of all our players, but it is nice to see our players recognized for their accomplishments on the field by the other regional coaches," said Harper head coach Cliff Brown. 

Yfantis, Ioriatti and Kiesel earned Second Team All-Region. (Jim Cummins)

Three Hawks Earn All-Region Honors

Fingerman, Liewergen and Cannon earned All-Region honors. (Jim Cummins)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College softball team recently had three players named to the Region IV All-Region Team for their excellent performance in the 2014 softball season. Raegan Fingerman (Fox River Grove, Ill./Barrington) and Lindsay Cannon (McHenry, Ill./McHenry West) earned First Team All-Region distinctions, and Tori Liewergen (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove) earned Second Team All-Region honors.

Fingerman led the Hawks in hitting with a .466 to go along with four homers, a team-best 38 RBIs, 41 hits, seven doubles and two triples in 26 games. She also displayed her versatility in the field, playing catcher, first base and shortstop during the season.

"She was a fun-loving competitor who knew how serious to take the game as well as keeping it in perspective," said Harper head coach Cray Allen.

Cannon patrolled the outfield for Harper and grew as a hitter as the season went on. She became the Hawks' primary leadoff hitter and was second on the team with a .373 average and team-bests in both runs (37) and stolen bases (10).

"She is a kid with very strong character and helped shape our team not only from her skills on the diamond, but from her overall personality and approach to the game," Allen said.

Liewergen served as the team's primary pitcher, earning eight wins in 2014. The sophomore also made an impact at the plate, hitting .337 with 20 RBIs.

"Tori solidified our pitching this year and was a big part of what we did this year. She was a true competitor," Allen said.

Six Hawks Earn All-Conference Accolades

Becker, Yfantis and Wazorick earned First Team All-Conference honors. (Jim Cummins)

 

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper baseball team took second place in the North Central Community College Conference (N4C) with a 10-2 record in 2014, and six players were recognized as All-Conference selections.

Third baseman Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) was named N4C Player of the Year and a First Team selection. Shortstop Theo Yfantis (Prospect Heights, Ill./Wheeling) and right-handed pitcher Mickey Wazorick (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) joined him as First Team selections. Left fielder Tyler Crussen (Wheeler, Ind. /Wheeler), center fielder Chris Elliot and catcher Zack Jones (/Maine South) earned Second Team All-Conference distinctions.

In 12 conference games, Becker hit an incredible .605 (26-for-43) with five doubles, 10 RBIs and five stolen bases. The sophomore hit .494 with a .531 OBP, three homers, 30 RBIs, 79 total hits, 15 doubles, four triples, and 14 stolen bases in 46 games.

Crussen, Elliot and Jones earned Second Team All-Conference honors. (Jim Cummins)

Yfantis hit .302 with six doubles and seven RBIs in conference play. In 45 games, the sophomore hit .304 with two homers and a team-best 31 RBIs. Wazorick went a perfect 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 20 innings of conference play. For the season, he went 6-2 with a 4.47 ERA and a team-best 38 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings.

Crussen hit .457 (16-for-35) with four RBIs and two stolen bases in conference action. Overall, the freshman hit .331 with 12 RBIs and 13 steals in 42 games.  Elliot hit .400 with a homer and seven RBIs in conference play. Overall, the sophomore hit .246 with a homer, 11 RBIs and eight steals while playing solid defense.

Jones hit .343 with four RBIs and also threw out five runners on the basepaths in conference play. In 37 total games, Jones hit .297 with 13 RBIs and threw out a nation-best 19 runners on the basepaths.

"I'm proud of the effort of all our players, but it is nice to see our players recognized for their accomplishments on the field by the other conference coaches," said Harper head coach Cliff Brown.

Hawks Edged By Waubonsee in Region IV Sectionals

Harper's season came to an end on Sunday. (Jim Cummins)

 

Final Season Stats

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College baseball team saw its season come to an end on Sunday as they lost to Waubonsee Community College in the Region IV Sectionals.

The Hawks (24-23) fell 11-1 to Waubonsee on Saturday and beat Milwaukee 15-5 on Saturday in the three-team round robin tournament. Needing to beat the Chiefs twice on Sunday, the Hawks lost 4-3 in a tightly-contested game.

Saturday Recap

In the sectional opener on Saturday morning, Waubonsee topped Milwaukee 9-5.

The Chiefs came out swinging in the 1 PM game against the Hawks, tagging Harper starter Mickey Wazorick (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) (6-2) for seven runs in the first two innings. Brent Kiesel (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) relieved Wazorick in the third but surrendered three runs in the third and another run in the fifth.

Waubonsee starter Angel Sanchez (5-2) shut down Harper in the 11-1 victory, yielding just one run on three hits in five innings. Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) was the lone bright spot for the Hawks' offense, going 2-for-2 with a run scored.

Harper bounced back with a 15-5 victory in game two, collecting 15 hits. Theo Yfantis (Prospect Heights, Ill./Wheeling) tore up Milwaukee pitching, going 4-for-4 with a double, triple, and five RBIs. Tyler Crussen (Wheeler, Ind. /Wheeler) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Zack Jones (/Maine South), Angelo Curtis (Chicago Heights, Ill./Marian Catholic), and Kevin Conrad (Twin Lakes, Wis./Wilmot) each had two-hit performances.

Steven Yfantis (Prospect Heights, Ill./Wheeling) (5-4) went the distance on the mound for his eighth complete game, allowing four earned runs in six innings of work.

Sunday Recap

Harper and Waubonsee squared off at 11 AM Sunday morning with the Hawks needing two victories to secure a spot in the Region IV Finals at Boomers Stadium May 16-18.

The Hawks took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Jones sac fly. Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine)'s fifth inning double extended the lead to 2-0. Harper starter Lee Brietzman pitched scoreless ball until the bottom of the sixth, when Jose Camacho's two-out single cut the Harper lead to 2-1.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Chiefs struck again, as Nick Gilette led off the frame with a solo homer to tie the game at 2-2. Later in the inning, Waubonsee scored two times with two outs on a Tom Colletti RBI single and Ray Cekus RBI triple.

Trailing 4-2 in the ninth inning, Becker made it 4-3 with a two-out double that scored Tyler Crussen (Wheeler, Ind. /Wheeler) (3-for-5, three runs). Waubonsee's Angel Sanchez came in relief to get the final out and put the Chiefs in the Region IV finals.

Brietzman (0-3) suffered the loss, giving up four runs in 7 1/3 innings, and Tom Colletti (2-0) surrendered just two earned runs in 8 2/3 innings of work for the victory.

Harper Women Finish in Top 10 at Nationals

Piltaver took sixth in the 10k and eighth in the 5k at the national meet. (Jim Cummins)

Full Results

UTICA, N.Y. – The Harper College women's track and field team took 10^th place with a team total of 27 points at the 2014 DIII Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Mohawk Valley Community College. SUNY Delhi (136 points) captured the team title by a meager half point over Suffolk Community College (135.5 points), followed by third place Mohawk Valley Community College with 108.5 points.

Several Harper athletes performed well and contributed to the point total over the final two days of competition. Sprinter Stephanie Hurwitz (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Fremd) earned points in her solo events, taking sixth place in both the 100m and 200m. Hurwitz ran a PR time of 12.87 seconds in the 100m final and PR'ed in the 200m final with a time of 26.69 seconds.

Marisa Andreuccetti (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Conant) earned a sixth place finish in the 800m with a time of 2:35.27. In the distance events, freshman Mary Piltaver (/Conant) scored points for the team on Friday with a sixth place finish in the 10k, crossing the finish line in 43:54.19. Teammate Lori Delfin (/Wheeling) took ninth place in 46:07.47. On Saturday, Piltaver finished eighth in the 5k in a time of 21:08.80.

The 4x100m relay team of Hurwitz, Taylor LoCoco (/Prairie Ridge), Lara Sladek (/St. Viator) and Gabrielle Brosnan (Mount Prospect, Ill./Christian Liberty) finished in 52.90 seconds in the final to take seventh place. The 4x400m squad of Hurwitz, LoCoco, Brosnan and Andreuccetti finished in 4:29.37 for eighth place.

In the field events, Sladek and Amanda Hagen (/Hoffman Estates) netted points for the Hawks. Sladek placed eighth in the shot put with a throw of 9.82m while Hagen took fifth in the nation in the javelin throw with a PR toss of 27.44m.

Hawks Take Sixth Place at National Meet

The Hawks earned a sixth place finish at the national meet. (Jim Cummins)

Full Results

UTICA, N.Y. – The Harper College men's track and field team took sixth place with a team total of 71 points at the 2014 DIII Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Mohawk Valley Community College. Gloucester Community College took home a national title with 113 points, followed by SUNY Delhi (106 points) and Suffolk Community College (97 points).

Several Harper athletes performed outstandingly over the final two days of competition. Juan Barajas (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg) led the charge for the Hawks, placing second in both the 5k and 10k to earn All-American status in both events. He crossed the finish line in 16:26.94 in the 5k, and he completed the 10k in 33:50.68 to earn a combined 16 points in the two events.

In the 1500-meter run, a trio of Harper runners – Jhoan Lino (León, Guanajuato/Streamwood) (4:10.95), Zach Stella (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) (4:11.89) and Andrew Guibord (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) (4:17.32) – earned points for the team with third, fourth, and eighth place finishes.

Nick Modlin (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) also scored place in the 5k with a sixth place finish in 16:51.86. In the 400-meter dash finals, Tom Rohn (/Cary) captured fifth place as he finished the race in 49.67 seconds. In the 800m, Max Anderson (/Cary Grove) took eighth place.

Two relay teams scored points for Harper. The 4x100m relay team of John Walker (/Huntley), Ernest Downing (), Rohn and Anderson earned points with a sixth place finish. The 4x400m relay group of Anderson, John Majerus (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove), Downing and Rohn placed seventh with a time of 3:35.55.

A pair of Hawks hurdlers scored points in the 110-meter hurdles. Ernest Downing () took seventh with a finishing time of 15.50 seconds, and Daniel Lim (Schaumburg, Ill./Streamwood) took eighth with a time of 15.88 seconds. Thrower Brad Walls (/Palatine) finished fifth in the nation in the shot put with a toss of 12.64m.

Sectional Baseball Preview

Becker and the Hawks will look to get back to their winning ways as they open postseason play Saturday. (Jim Cummins)

Harper Sectional Bracket
Joliet Sectional Bracket
Season Stats
@Harper_Baseball Twitter

PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper baseball team drew the two-seed and will host the Region IV Sectional Tournament at Harper College on Saturday, May  10 and Sunday, May 11.

The seeding for the region goes as follows:

#1-Joliet Junior College
#2-Harper College
#3-Waubonsee Community College
#4-College of DuPage
#5-Milwaukee Area Technical College
#6-Rock Valley College

Harper, Waubonsee and Milwaukee will play a three-team round robin tournament at Harper Saturday and Sunday. Joliet, DuPage and Rock Valley play a three-team tournament at Joliet Saturday and Sunday. The winner of each sectional earns a trip to the Region IV Finals held at Schaumburg Boomers Stadium from May 16-18. The two winners will play a best-of-three series with a berth to the NJCAA Division III Baseball World Series on the line.

Regular Season Recap

The Hawks struggled a bit on their spring trip, going 2-6 against high-quality competition to start the season. Upon returning, the Hawks got hot and reeled of 10 straight wins and 16 of 18 games to get to 18-8 on the season.

During that stretch, Harper sophomore third baseman Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) was named NJCAA Division III National Player of the Week for his performance in games from March 31-April 6.

Since starting 18-8, the Hawks have struggled in the last few weeks with a 5-13 record and finished the regular season with a 23-21 mark. They were 12-8 at home, 10-12 away and 1-1 on neutral fields and finished second in the conference with a 10-2 mark behind 11-1 Madison College.

Season Series' Against Waubonsee and Milwaukee

Harper and Waubonsee (30-23) met once during the regular season for a doubleheader at Harper on April 22. The Chiefs took game one, 6-5, but Harper salvaged a split with a 5-3 game two victory.

Harper and Milwaukee (12-29) played a conference doubleheader at Harper back on April 1. The Hawks slugged their way to a 19-9 victory in game one and held on for a 9-8 win in game two.

Key Players for Harper

The Hawks will count on Becker (.487 average, three homers, 28 RBIs, 54 runs, 14 steals) for production. Shortstop Theo Yfantis (Prospect Heights, Ill./Wheeling) (.290 average, two homers, 26 RBIs) and designated hitter James Ioriatti (/Hersey) (.303 average, 28 RBIs) will be counted on to drive in runs. Left fielder Tyler Crussen (Wheeler, Ind. /Wheeler) (.307 average, 12 steals), catcher Zach Jones (/Maine South) (.293 average, 11 RBIs) and leadoff man  Chris Elliot (.263 average, homer, 11 RBIs) must find ways to get on base as well.

The Hawks have good depth at starting pitcher, led by Mickey Wazorick (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) (6-1, 3.61 ERA) and Steven Yfantis (Prospect Heights, Ill./Wheeling) (4-4, 3.91 ERA, seven complete games). Brent Kiesel (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) (4-3, 4.19 ERA) and Matt Ittersagen (Wheeler, Ind./Wheeler) (3-3, 4.45 ERA) will also be relied on for quality starts.

Lee Breitzman (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) (0-2, 5.40 ERA) gives Harper even more depth while Dan Schlitter (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett) (2-1, 6.52 ERA, one save) will likely be a key contributor out of the bullpen.

Key Players for Waubonsee

Tom Colletti (.307 average, homer, 29 RBIs) is the top run producer for a Chiefs lineup that has five hitters batting .300 or higher. Outfielder Bobby Smith (.302 average, 21 RBIs, 18 steals) and Ray Cekus (.300 average, homer, 23 RBIs, 16 steals) both pose threats on the basepaths.

Angel Sanchez (4-2, 2.70 ERA, five complete games) has been the team's top pitcher this season. Sanchez has struck out 42 batters in just 40 innings.

Key Players for Milwaukee

Outfielder Zach Taylor (.330 average, nine RBIs in 34 games) is the Stormers' top hitter. Paul Murphy (2-1, 2.27 ERA in first five starts) is the team's top pitcher.

Day 1: Hawks Score Points in Hammer, Steeplechase and Relay

Walls took fifth place in the hammer throw and will compete in the javelin on Friday. (Jim Cummins)

Results

UTICA, N.Y. – On the first day of competition at the 2014 DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Harper College men's track and field team scored points in the hammer throw, steeplechase and 4x800m relay.

In the hammer throw, both Will Botefuhr (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect) and Brad Walls (/Palatine) set big PR's. Botefuhr took third place, scoring six points with a toss of 42.23m. Walls claimed fifth place and four points for the team with a toss of 40.69m.

In the 3000m steeplechase, Harper's Brennan Albuck (/Hoffman Estates) and Nick Modlin (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) finished fifth and sixth place, respectively, to earn the team a combined seven points. Albuck completed the race in 10:19.80, and Modlin was close behind at 10:25.70.

The 4x800m relay team of Zach Stella (Palatine, Ill./Palatine), Max Anderson (/Cary Grove), John Majerus (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove) and Jhoan Lino (León, Guanajuato/Streamwood) took third place with a time of 8:00.79 and earned six points for their efforts.

The Hawks currently have scored 23 points and are in fourth place. The race for the top spot is tight, with Gloucester Community College leading with 31 points, followed by Suffolk Community College (30 points) and SUNY Delhi (27 points).

Friday is day two of competition, featuring finals in the 10k, long jump, discus, high jump and javelin. There will also be trials in the 1500m, 400m, 100m, 110m hurdles, 800m, 400m hurdles, 200m, and 1600m relay. For a full schedule of events for the weekend, click here.

Day 1: Sladek PR's in Hammer, Relay Team Earns Points

Sladek PR'ed in the hammer and will compete in shot put on Saturday. (Jim Cummins)

Results

UTICA, N.Y. – On the first day of competition at the 2014 DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Harper College women's track team earned points in both the hammer throw and 4x800m relay.

Lara Sladek (/St. Viator) took fifth in the nation in the hammer throw and earned her team four points with a PR toss of 34.69m. The 4x800m relay team of Lori Delfin (/Wheeling), Mary Piltaver (/Conant), Kaila Privatsky(/Barrington) and Marisa Andreuccetti (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Conant) earned two points with a seventh place finish in a time of 10:54.99.

In other events, Harper 4x100m relay group of Stephanie Hurwitz (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Fremd), Taylor LoCoco(/Prairie Ridge), Sladek, and Gabrielle Brosnan (Mount Prospect, Ill./Christian Liberty) ran a PR time of 52.18 seconds to qualify for the finals. In the 3000m steeplechase finals, Privatsky took tenth place with a finishing time of 14:40.80.

The Hawks currently have six points and are in a tie for ninth place with Finger Lakes Community College. Host Mohawk Valley Community College leads the meet with 36 points, followed by Suffolk Community College (25 points) and SUNY Delhi (21 points).

Friday is day two of competition, featuring finals in the 10k, long jump, pole vault and discus. There will also be trials in the 1500m, 400m, 100m, 110m hurdles, 800m, 400m hurdles, 200m, and 1600m relay. For a full schedule of events for the weekend, click here.

Men's Track and Field Nationals Preview

The Hawks begin competition at the national meet on Thursday. (Jim Cummins)

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UTICA, N.Y. – After placing runner-up at the 2013 DIII Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Harper College men's track and field team begins its quest for a sixth national crown in the last eight years at the 2014 DIII Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Mohawk Valley Community College. The national meet begins on Thursday and concludes on Saturday.

Head coach Renee Zellner's men's team will send 19 athletes to nationals and is particularly deep in the distance events this year and also features some talented sprinters. Sophomores Jhoan Lino (León, Guanajuato/Streamwood) and Nick Modlin (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) will be counted on to score points in their respective events. Lino will run in the 800m and 1500m while Modlin will run the 5k and the 3000m steeplechase.  Lino thinks it'll take an immense effort to take home a national title, and Modlin agreed.

"We need to push our limits in more than one event to make that difference," Modlin said.

Sophomores Max Anderson (/Cary Grove) and Tom Rohn (/Cary) represent much of the sprint talent on the squad. Anderson will run the 400m, 800m and three relays while Rohn will run the 200m, 400m and two relays.

"We have a lot of depth but have a shortage of some runners and some field events. We will all need to step up," Anderson said.

Sophomore Vince Greco (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove) will run the 5k and 10k at the national meet. He is joined by Juan Barajas (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg) andSebastian Ramirez (Lima, Peru/Palatine), who will run both events as well. Fellow freshman Zach Stella (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) will tackle the 800m and 1500m. Brennan Albuck (/Hoffman Estates) will take on the 3000m steeplechase and 5k. Andrew Guibord (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) will compete in the 3000m steeplechase, and John Majerus (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove) will cover the 800m and relays as well.

John Walker (/Huntley) will be a key part of the 4x100m relay and also run the 200m and 100m. Ernest Downing () will be busy at the national meet, as he qualified for nationals in five events (400m hurdles, 110m hurdles, long jump, two relays). Daniel Lim (Schaumburg, Ill./Streamwood) joins Downing in the 110m hurdles.

Brad Walls (/Palatine) and Will Botehur hope to continue the tradition of strong Harper throwers. Walls will participate in the hammer throw and javelin, and Botefuhr's single event is the hammer throw.

Alternates Junious Matlock (), Connor Williams (/Wauconda) and Brennan Bryan (/Wilmington) are ready to go in the relays if any of their teammates is unable to compete.

The whole team feels the tough competition against several four-year schools throughout the spring has helped prepare them for this big stage.

"We're used to what we are going to see. We just have to perform," Rohn said.

"For the national meet, we will take that experience and amp it up even further," Modlin said.

Women's Track and Field Nationals Preview

The Hawks begin competition at the national meet on Thursday. (Jim Cummins)

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UTICA, N.Y. – Nine Harper women's track and field athletes are ready to compete at the 2014 DIII Outdoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Mohawk Valley Community College. The national meet begins on Thursday and concludes on Saturday.

The Hawks tied for seventh place as a team at the 2013 national meet and will look to improve upon that mark.

"As a team, we'd love to take first. But if we finish in the top-three or top-five, that'd be great, too," said sophomore sprinter Stephanie Hurwitz (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Fremd), who will be competing in four events.

Hurwitz qualified for nationals in the 100m and 200m and will also run on the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. Fellow sophomore Marisa Andreuccetti (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Conant) will compete in the 800m, 4x400m relay, and 4x800m relay.

Sophomore Lara Sladek (/St. Viator) will compete for the Hawks in the shot put, hammer throw and relays. Sophomore Kaila Privatsky (/Barrington) will tackle the 4x400m relay, 4x800m relay and 3000m steeplechase while sophomore Gabrielle Brosnan (Mount Prospect, Ill./Christian Liberty) will run on the 4x100m and 4x800m relay teams.

Four freshmen qualified for their first national meet, highlighted by distance runners Mary Piltaver (/Conant) and Lori Delfin (/Wheeling). Piltaver will likely compete in the 1500m, 5k, 10k and 4x800m relay. Delfin qualified in the 1500m, 5k and 10k.

Sprinter Taylor LoCoco (/Prairie Ridge) will be a key member of the 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, and will run in the 400m. Finally, Amanda Hagen (/Hoffman Estates) will compete in the throws and perhaps a relay or two.

"We are going to have to give it our all. We have a small team, but each of us is talented," Andreuccetti said. "As long as we set our minds to it and focus, we can do it."

Cummings Named to Region 4 All-Tournament Team

Cummings was named to the Region 4 All-Tournament Team. (Jim Cummins)

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Despite an early exit from postseason play, the Harper College softball team still had one player recognized for her outstanding play in the tournament. Sam Cummings (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) was named to the Region 4 All-Tournament Team for her performance.

The freshman went 2-for-3 with a double, home run, and two RBIs in Harper's first game against nationally-ranked DuPage.  In the second game against Madison, Cummings went 1-for-4.

Dabrowski Named Female Athlete of the Year

PALATINE, Ill. – Harper volleyball player Veronica Dabrowski (Mount Prospect, Ill./Rolling Meadows) won numerous awards as a student-athlete in her two years at Harper. All of her accomplishments have earned her the 2013-14 Harper Female Athlete of the Year Award.

In 2013, Dabrowski earned NJCAA All-American status for her play on her court. Additionally, she earned First Team All-Region, First Team All-Conference, and Region IV All-Tournament Team honors. She was named to three other All-Tournament teams in 2013. Academically, Dabrowski earned N4C Academic All-Conference honors.

In 2012, she earned First Team All-Conference, N4C Academic All-Conference and was named to two All-Tournament teams.

"Quite honestly, this year's winner couldn't happen to be a more deserving, humble, down-to-earth and gracious person," said Harper head volleyball coach Bob Vilsoet. "It makes me proud!"

The Rolling Meadows High School grad made the most of her time off the court as well, serving as an Orientation Leader at the Center for New Students. Additionally, Dabrowski was a Distinguished Scholar and a member of the Harper College Honors Program and member of Phi Theta Kappa.

"Veronica is exactly what the award is trying to embrace. We are looking for top student-athletes that also give back to the community," Vilsoet said. "I also think it demonstrates Harper's athletic department's commitment to success not only on the field, but in the classroom and the community."

Dabrowski will continue her volleyball career next year at Bethel College, located in Mishawaka, Indiana, where she will be a pre-med student.

Dabrowski and Cunningham were recently honored as the 2013-14 Harper Athletes of the Year. (Doug Spiwak)

Cunningham Selected as Male Athlete of the Year

PALATINE, Ill. – Troy Cunningham (Elk Grove, Ill./Conant) thrived as a Harper student-athlete. A seven-time national champion at Harper who has since gone on to compete at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Cunningham was recently named the 2013-14 Harper Male Athlete of the Year.

As a freshman in the fall of 2011, the Conant High School grad helped the men's cross country team win its first national championship ever in the sport. In the spring, Cunningham won the national title on the track in the 800m, and the team won its fifth national championship in six years.

He added four more national titles to his resume in the 2012-13 school year, beginning with an individual title and second consecutive team national championship at the cross country NJCAA Championships. Cunningham was Harper's first-ever individual champion in the event. 

Dabrowski and Cunningham were recently honored as the 2013-14 Harper Athletes of the Year. (Doug Spiwak)

He followed up an impressive fall with two more national titles on the track, one in the 1500m and one as a member a first place 3200m relay team. He also took second in the 800m and earned All-American status for a Hawks team that placed second at the national meet. Finally, Cunningham was voted 2013 Men's Track and Field Team MVP by his teammates.

On top of his outstanding athletic career at Harper, Cunningham excelled in the classroom and earned N4C Academic All-Conference Athlete honors for maintaining a GPA above 3.0 while competing for the Hawks.