Downstate AD Offers Return To Play Proposals

A downstate athletic director puts pen to paper and prepares “return to play” proposals for high school sports in Illinois. The calendar would look different and some seasons would switch. Mark Briggs from Roxana High School admits his plans may not be perfect, but says they serve as a good starting point for discussions.

One of Briggs’ proposals would have baseball and softball played in the fall with football played from April through July and high school wrestling from February through April.

Governor asked about high school sports in the fall

Will there be high school sports competitions this fall in Illinois?

The Illinois High School Association says they are going to defer to the IDPH and Governor’s office when it comes to the determination on getting back to competition. Governor JB Pritzker says he has tracked a study in Europe where there is concern about young athletes taking COVID-19 back to their families.

A few states have already moved contact sports, including football to the spring.

SIJHSAA To Make Call On Fall Sports August 3rd

From SIJHSAA Website: The SIJHSAA Board of Control met on Monday, July 20, 2020.  The main subject matter was decisions dealing with fall sports.  Due to a lack of guidelines from the Governor's Office and the Illinois Department of Public Health, no action was taken.  A decision of this magnitude needs the most current information to make a decision that is best for all involved.

The SIJHSAA will tentatively make an official decision on the Fall Sport State Series of Baseball, Softball, Girls Cross Country and Boys Cross Country on Monday, August 3, 2020

COVID-19 Rise In Teens Could Doom Fall Sports In Illinois

(IRN) Fourth of July parties may have hurt the chances for high school football and other contact sports this fall. After the Independence Day holiday, a few schools reported an uptick in COVID-19 cases among students. 

“It had nothing to do with football and the activities that our schools were doing. It was what they were doing when they were away from our schools that have caused a few new cases,” said Craig Anderson, executive director of the Illinois High School Association. 

The rise in cases among Illinois high school students got the attention of the Illinois Department of Public Health. As a result, the department changed its guidelines for school sports practices. Contact drills that had been approved on July 1, were once again prohibited. 

Not a good sign for Anderson and many Illinois parents who had been hoping to see school sports on the calendar as usual this fall.

Anderson played football in high school and college himself. One of his sons is a junior on the high school football team. Both of them want football this fall "in the very worst way," he said. 

“I support the idea and the mission, because I know it benefits so many kids on so many levels,” Anderson said. 

Another indicator makes sports that involve physical contact, such as football, soccer, volleyball, and cross country uncertain for fall 2020. Some Illinois teacher organizations are advocating for starting the new school year with "all remote" learning instead of in-person classes. If fall classes are all virtual, and students are home all day, having them get to school in the afternoons for practices and other activities is a difficult proposition that sends the wrong message, Anderson said. 

Gov. J.B. Prtizker recently divided Illinois into 11 regions during the COVID-19 crisis. 

One option that is being discussed is having schools in central and southern Illinois and other regions where there are fewer COVID-19 cases, reopen for in-person classes and sports this fall. 

Larger schools in regions where there are more cases and more problems with safety could cancel fall sports and continue with virtual learning.

Some parents and sports fans are angry at the Illinois High School Association for not lobbying harder for a full fall sports calendar. Anderson says his organization is a non-profit with a membership of schools throughout the state. 

“Our governance is strictly independent,” Anderson said. 

IHSA takes no money from the state. It raises its funding from ticket sales at state series events. The Department of Education oversees Illinois schools, but it does not involve itself in sports policy. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, health and safety of students, coaches and spectators has been the No. 1 concern. Anderson said the IHSA is "leaning on IDPH, the governor's office and medical experts to guide them." 

IHSA Decision On Fall Sports Not Expected Now Until Next Week

From IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson on the IHSA’s plans for this week…

 “The Illinois High School Association will take part in a roundtable discussion with leaders from IDPH & ISBE on Friday, July 24. We expect this meeting will provide important guidance on how the IHSA will proceed with fall sports. As a result, we have postponed the IHSA Board Meeting scheduled for July 22 until July 29.”

Two Mt. Carmel Girls Part Of Championship Team

Two Mt. Carmel girls and their teammates won the 18U Indiana USSSA Great Lakes Nationals in Evansville this weekend. Mackenzie Sisson and Stormie Devine play for Indiana Fusion Elite-Marx and brought home the gold. The team scored 51 runs while only allowing 13 in nine games. IFE Marx is traveling to Chattanooga this week in hopes to keep the streak going at the USA Softball National Championship. Good Luck!

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARA DITTERLINE

IHSA To Defer To IDPH, ISBE & Governor's Office On All Return To Play Guidelines Moving Forward

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced on July 14, 2020 that it will defer to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the Governor’s Office on all of its Return To Play Guidelines moving forward.

“There is an unprecedented level of planning for this school year due to COVID-19, and we have come to understand that there needs to be a greater consistency between the guidelines for returning to learn and returning to interscholastic athletics,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “Some of the recommendations by the IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) and directives from IDPH have come into direct conflict with each other, especially as it relates to the use of masks by student-athletes. As a result, we feel it is important to let IDPH and ISBE provide a consistent direction for our membership moving forward. We will wait on direction from these organizations for further guidance on Return to Play plans for the 2020-21 school year.”

The IHSA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee had previously developed its own Return To Play Guidelines, which were then collaboratively amended, and then approved, by IDPH. The Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines were then amended at IDPH’s request to include a greater emphasis on masks, and also eliminated scrimmages in sports that require physical contact. IHSA teams can currently conduct limited summer contact workouts within the Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines as directed by IDPH and ISBE. Final approval on the revised Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines from IDPH are forthcoming.

“We still believe there is a path to conducting high school athletics in the fall, like the majority of states surrounding Illinois plan to do,” said Anderson. “To make that happen, it’s important that we allow IDPH, ISBE and the Governor’s Office to take the lead on ensuring the safest and most consistent protocols.”

NJCAA announces updated plan of action

Charlotte, NC – Following the recommendations from the NJCAA Presidential Advisory Council and the NJCAA Board of Regents, the NJCAA has announced its adjusted plan of action for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. Following the Board of Regents' vote on Monday, a majority of competition will be moved to the spring semester.

"Our greatest focus is and always has been providing the best opportunities for our student-athletes," stated Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President & CEO. "Through a unified effort from our Presidential Advisory Council, the Board of Regents, and leadership staff, our most recent plan of action provides a path that keeps our student-athletes competing at the highest level with proper safety measures in place. As we move forward as an association, we will continue to provide opportunities for our student-athletes, coaches, and all those involved with the NJCAA to be safe and successful."

The most recent plan of action shifts all close-contact fall sports to the spring semester. These sports include football, men's and women's soccer, and court volleyball. The NJCAA cross country championships for all three divisions and half marathon championships will remain as their originally scheduled dates in the fall as well as Division III women's tennis. 

All winter sports competition will begin in January with a majority of championship seasons moved from March to April. These sports include men's and women's basketball, wrestling, and swimming and diving. Men's and women's bowling and men's and women's indoor track and field will be held at the beginning of March.

Spring sports competition remains intact with minor adjustments to dates. These sports include baseball, softball, beach volleyball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, track and field, and men's and women's tennis.

Along with the adjustments to competition season and championship dates, the NJCAA has provided information as it relates to scrimmage and practice dates and allowances in the fall.

Championship dates are subject to change based on championship facility availability.

IHSA Pumps Brakes On Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines

Due to an increase in positive cases of COVID-19 among high school teams around the state, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are jointly collaborating to modify the IHSA’s Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines.

The modifications place greater restrictions on coaches and student-athletes in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Important changes include limiting physical contact and an increased usage of masks. The former restricts schools from conducting contests against other schools in most sports, including 7-on-7 in football.

The IHSA is working with IDPH to update the guidelines, and will send to its membership, the media, and post on the web as soon as they are approved.

IHSA's Anderson: Moving Football Season To Next Spring "Extremely Difficult"

Some state high school associations are contemplating “flipping seasons”, where football would be moved to the spring due to ongoing concerns from the coronavirus pandemic. The IHSA’s Craig Anderson was asked about that issue.

Currently, the first day of high school football practice in Illinois is set for Aug 10.

IHSA Releases 2020 Football Schedules

Mt. Carmel

Nickname: Golden Aces

Head Coach: Michael Brewer

2020 Classification Enrollment: 488.50

Aug 28 6:30    H Washington, IN 

Sep 5 2:00    H Decatur (St. Teresa)

Sep 11 7:00    A Harrisburg

Sep 18 7:00    A Olney (Richland County)

Sep 25 7:00    A Alton (Marquette)

Oct 3 2:00    H Wood River (East Alton-W.R.)

Oct 9 7:00    H Breese (Mater Dei)

Oct 16 6:30    A Bicknell (North Knox), IN

Oct 23 7:00    H Mt. Vernon (H.S.)

 All Illinois football schedules can be found here:

https://www.ihsa.org/Sports-Activities/Boys-Football/Conference-Schedules-Standings-Results

IHSA & IDPH Announce Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines For IHSA Teams That May Begin July 5

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced on Friday, July 3, 2020 that its Stage 2 Return To Play Guidelines have been approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and can be instituted by IHSA schools on July 5. The IHSA also announced that it will no longer reference the guidelines as the Stage 2 Return To Play Guidelines, and will instead will refer to them as the Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines, matching the verbiage used by the state in its Restore Illinois plan. The IHSA Stage 1 Return To Play Guidelines, which were implemented on June 5, will now be referred to as the Phase 3 Return To Play Guidelines for the same reason.

“Safety remains at the forefront of everything that the IHSA is doing as we move into Phase 4 and beyond,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We appreciate the collaborative efforts of the SMAC and IDPH in recognizing the physical, mental, and emotional benefits for our student-athletes and coaches as they progress into training in a more traditional practice setting. Our focus now shifts to continuing to work with state leadership to determine how to provide the safest environment possible for fall sports.”

A draft of the Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines, which were developed by the IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, was sent to IHSA member schools for preparatory purposes following approval by the IHSA Board of Directors on June 15. The IHSA then worked with IDPH to get approval on the Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines. The Phase 4 Guidelines optimize safety while allowing IHSA teams to gather in groups of 50 coaches and students or less to conduct practices or contests. IHSA coaches can conduct team activities on 20 contact days between June 30 and August 9. An IHSA member high school may not conduct team activities under the Phase 4 Return to Play Guidelines unless they have local school district approval, and are located in a Health Region that is currently in Phase 4 (or better) under the Governor’s Restore Illinois plan. Fans do not traditionally attend contests conducted under the summer contact day format, however, if a host school allows fans to attend, they will be limited to 20% capacity of their facility or less, based on the policy of the host school.

To read the IHSA Phase 4 Return To Play Guidelines, click here.

IHSA Readies Move To Stage 2 For "Return To Play"

It's all about a numbers game when discussing IHSA "return to play" guidelines. The state is expected to move to Phase 4 under the governor's Restore Illinois plan on Friday and that will mean Stage 2 for the IHSA outline, which is pending approval from the Illinois Department of Public Health. IHSA Stage 1 "return to play" started earlier this month and the policy allows for strength, conditioning and speed workouts for groups of ten or less. Stage 2 would allow for team related activities says the IHSA's Sam Knox.

Stage 2 for IHSA "return to play" would mean outdoor and indoor gatherings of 50 or fewer players, coaches and officials. It would also allow for athletic contests and practices, again all pending IDPH approval.

WVC Bass Team Signs Cole Hess of Scheller, IL

Wabash Valley College's bass coach Professor Todd Gill is excited to announce the signing of Cole Hess for the upcoming 2020–2021 collegiate bass season.

Cole Hess is the son of Chad and Loretta Hess of Scheller, Ill. He is a recent graduate of Waltonville High School and competed with the Waltonville Bass Team for four seasons. During Hess's high school career, he had multiple Top-10 finishes.

The highlight of his high school career was winning the Illinois National Youth Fishing Association Tournament at Rend Lake in 2018. That same season, he and his co-angler finished third in the entire state of Illinois for points with the National Youth Fishing Association series. Hess plans to study law enforcement in college and is excited about his opportunity to be a part of the WVC bass team.

Those interested in learning more about the WVC bass team can visit wvcwarriorathletics.com, click on Club Teams and select Bass Fishing. High school juniors and seniors interested in a campus visit can fill out the recruiting questionnaire and Coach Gill will contact them to discuss the team and schedule a campus visit. You can also keep up with the WVC bass team news by following them on Facebook @WVC Bass Team and on Instagram @wvcbassteam.

Pictured at the signing: (L-R) Loretta Hess, Cole Hess and Chad Hess

Mt. Carmel Little League Games Start In One Week

From Mt. Carmel Little League: Baseball and Softball games will be starting June 29th. When you get to the fields next week you will see that each field has been roped off. Stay at the field where you child is playing and please help us out by leaving when the game is over!

Parents will be asked to use the bleachers and the outfield to watch the games. The baselines from the dugout to the foul pole will be roped off for the players when they are not on the field.

We will have hand sanitizer and sunscreen stations at the concession stand and each team will have a spray bottle of sanitizer to use on the dugouts after each game!

Thank you to WGH for donating the sunscreen stations and spray bottles this year!

Play Ball!

Fairfield Team Captures WVC Bass Invitational

OLNEY, Ill. – A Fairfield team won the title at the first annual High School Bass Invitational, sponsored by the new Wabash Valley College Bass Fishing Team, held on Saturday at East Fork Lake in Olney.

The tandem of boater Austin Holtgrave and co-angler Nate Kiefer topped the scales at 13.94 pounds for their maximum-allowed catch of five bass.  They elected to share the individual honor for the single biggest catch of the day, at 4.25 pounds.

Finishing in second place were Peyton Rose and WVC-recruit Holden Kauble, from Flora, with a total catch of 13.6 pounds. Drew Gill and Chevvy Wood of Mt. Carmel, also Warrior recruits, were third at 13.13.

The top five rounded out with Konor Book and Evan Stone of Breese Mater Dei with a catch of 13.03 pounds, good for fourth place, and the Benton team of Laindree Richardson and Lucas Weilt (12.42) in fifth.

“In the first 45 minutes, we had our full limit just about”, said Holtgrave, who along with Kiefer graduated on Friday from Fairfield High School in a unique drive-thru ceremony. “We started off pretty shallow, then towards the middle of the day we started moving out a little deeper. Everything went pretty well – we got a good bag.”

The top five finishers all received awards and prizes. Holtgrave and Kiefer, by virtue of their first-place finish, were also presented with scholarship offers to join the Bass Fishing team at WVC.

Professor Todd Gill, Warrior Bass coach, thanked the groups and individuals who helped stage the event.

“For being our first time hosting this event, I felt like things went very smoothly. The kids had pretty decent weather. Out of 27 teams, 21 weighed in their limit. So, I was happy they were all catching fish.”

As for the winners, Gill said, “I’m happy for Austin and Nate for pulling it off. Hopefully, they’ll decide to come to Wabash Valley and fish for us.”

The six-hour long fishing period began at 5:30 a.m. with a controlled start. Each of the 27 boats was released one at a time from the launch area. An adult coach was on board to accompany the two-person fishing team.

As a bonus, the top weigh-ins remained in special “Hot Seats” until they were replaced by new leaders. Holtgrave and Kiefer, who were interestingly-enough on the last boat out in the morning because of a draw held days prior to the event, took their special seats with about 10 teams left to be weighed in. They never left. 

Drew Gill and Chevvy Wood of Mt. Carmel finished 3rd.

FIRST TIMER: Carson Short stands tall at Haubstadt for first win

HAUBSTADT, IN – June 19, 2020 – Carson Short held up the checkered flag as high as he could. Confetti rained around him. The crowd of 5,000 people sounded like 20,000 with their empathic cheers echoing around the speedway.

If you asked Short, he just won the Knoxville Nationals. Or at least that’s what it felt like to the Marion, IL driver.

After fending off slide job attacks by Sheldon Haudenschild, Short went on to win his first career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win Friday night at Tri-State Speedway.

“It feels great,” Short said getting his first Series win. “Especially here. It’s where I won my first USAC race, too. It’s a great track. Everyone says it’s a different track. It’s technical. I felt like tonight was up top, running the cushion. It just feels great.”

Short led all 30 laps to claim the win in his 11th World of Outlaws start, driving for his grandfather, Richard Short’s small underfunded team. He also became the first first-time winner in more than a year for the Series.

Before the night, Short had two top-10 finishes with the Series – the first coming at Tri-State Speedway. While he only has a handful of starts in a winged Sprint Car, he has several laps around the quarter-mile track. With it being about an hour and a half from his Illinois home, Tri-State became a home track for Short. And the fans treated him as a hometown driver all night long.

“You don’t get any better than the fans here at Haubstadt,” Short said. “They’re just down home ready to watch some Sprint Car racing. They love it. It’s just the atmosphere. Winning at Haubstadt, I feel like it’s the small track of the Knoxville Nationals, if you will, with the fans. Those guys are crazy.”

Short earned the pole position for the 30-lap Feature with his win in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash. He took the lead from Haudenschild on the first lap and never looked back.

The same happened at the start of the Feature. However, Haudenschild didn’t let Short get away.

On Lap 7, Short got sideways off Turn 2, allowing Haudenschild to plan an attack to pass for the next turn. Before he could, Jeff Swindell flipped in Turn 2, bringing out the red flag.

When the race resumed, Short maintained about a two-car length distance on the NOS Energy Drink #17 car. Even when he had to wrangle his way through lap traffic, Short looked like a veteran slicing through traffic with ease.

With five laps to go, Haudenschild threw a Hail Mary slide job underneath Short’s #21 car going into Turn 3. He took the lead, but Short was able to cross underneath him and bolt back ahead of him down the straightaway. From then on, Haudenschild couldn’t get close enough again to attempt another slider. He had to settle for the runner-up finish.

“Hats off to Carson, he did a phenomenal job,” said Haudenschild, of Wooster, OH. “I was waiting on him to make a mistake and he didn’t do it. Then, I was waiting on traffic and he got through there really well. Congrats to him. I love seeing first time winners. Congrats to him. I’m happy with a second.

“We’ve been really good here. Just keep this momentum rolling. I keep telling my guys, if we keep being in this top-five we’re going to win races. We’re just working for that.”

His second-place finish was his second in a row at the track and his sixth top-five finish in the last seven races, which helped move him up to fourth in the championship standings – 124 points behind leader Brad Sweet.

David Gravel, of Watertown, CT, rounded out the podium. His third-place finish is a welcomed rebound from his 19th-place finish at Knoxville Raceway last weekend.

Behind him in fourth was Carson Macedo, of Lemoore, CA – his third fourth-place finish in a row.

Fellow Californian and reigning champion Brad Sweet, of Grass Valley, CA, finished fifth, extending his points lead over 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz – who finished 11th for the second race in a row – to 38 points.

Sweet swept the weekend at Beaver Dam Raceway and then the next weekend at Knoxville Raceway was swept by Kyle Larson.

(RELATED: World of Outlaws Racing Returns to CBS with Special Spotlighting Trail-Blazing Journey from COVID to Independence Day Mega Event)

Will Short be next in line to sweep the World of Outlaws’ first doubleheader weekend at Tri-State Speedway during the live broadcast on CBS Sports Network Saturday night?

“God, I hope so,” Short said with a chuckle and smile on his face. “Yeah, the car is on rails. I don’t think the track is going to change any. It (the #21 car) would go anywhere I wanted it to go. Even when (Haudenschild) showed me the nose with his slide job, I could cross underneath. It just had speed everywhere. Yeah, I feel like we can back it up tomorrow night and get another win.”

UP NEXT

The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to Tri-State Speedway Sat., June 20 for the second night of the historic weekend. The Feature will be live on CBS Sports Network – the first time the World of Outlaws has been live on national television since 2012 – at 9 p.m. (ET). The entire event will be broadcasted live on DIRTVision, as well.

RESULTS

NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps) – 1. 21-Carson Short [1][$6,000]; 2. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [2][$3,000]; 3. 41-David Gravel [6][$2,300]; 4. 2-Carson Macedo [5][$2,000]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet [4][$1,850]; 6. 5S-Chase Stockon [3][$1,750]; 7. 55-Hunter Schuerenburg [14][$1,550]; 8. 83-Daryn Pittman [23][$1,350]; 9. 2M-Kerry Madsen [9][$1,250]; 10. 24-Rico Abreu [7][$1,100]; 11. 15-Donny Schatz [13][$1,000]; 12. 39-Sammy Swindell [12][$950]; 13. 26-Cory Eliason [8][$900]; 14. 14-Parker Price-Miller [24][$850]; 15. 3-Jac Haudenschild [11][$800]; 16. 5X-Justin Peck [17][$750]; 17. 1A-Jacob Allen [25][$]; 18. 1S-Logan Schuchart [19][$700]; 19. 3X-Ayrton Gennetten [21][$700]; 20. 11K-Kraig Kinser [10][$700]; 21. 7S-Jason Sides [18][$700]; 22. 71-Shane Stewart [16][$700]; 23. 18-Ian Madsen [20][$700]; 24. 2C-Wayne Johnson [22][$700]; 25. 44-Jeff Swindell [15][$700]; Lap leaders: Carson Short 1-30; KSE Hard Charger Award: 83-Daryn Pittman[+15]

Qualifying – 1. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 12.626; 2. 2-Carson Macedo, 12.794; 3. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.798; 4. 5S-Chase Stockon, 12.816; 5. 41-David Gravel, 12.831; 6. 26-Cory Eliason, 12.842; 7. 24-Rico Abreu, 12.91; 8. 21-Carson Short, 12.952; 9. 49-Brad Sweet, 12.957; 10. 55-Hunter Schuerenburg, 12.971; 11. 44-Jeff Swindell, 12.99; 12. 39-Sammy Swindell, 13.007; 13. 5X-Justin Peck, 13.048; 14. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.086; 15. 3-Jac Haudenschild, 13.115; 16. 18-Ian Madsen, 13.135; 17. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.152; 18. 2C-Wayne Johnson, 13.174; 19. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.191; 20. 71-Shane Stewart, 13.268; 21. 3X-Ayrton Gennetten, 13.284; 22. 15H-Sam Hafertepe, 13.297; 23. 14-Parker Price-Miller, 13.364; 24. 1A-Jacob Allen, 13.383; 25. 7-Critter Malone, 13.393; 26. 7S-Jason Sides, 13.444; 27. 33M-Mason Daniel, 13.485; 28. 83-Daryn Pittman, 13.49; 29. 61M-Stephen Schnapf, 13.547; 30. 29-Brayton Lynch, 13.734; 31. 33-Andy Bishop, 13.999; 32. 20-Chayse Hayhurst, 14.281; 33. 6-Bill Rose, 14.778

Carli Merritt Invited To All American Games

Congratulations to Carli Merritt, a player on the 14U Wabash Mission team, for being named a Direct Invite to the All American games.  The players are evaluated by college coaches, USSSA staff, and Pride Professional softball players.  The Direct Invites are chosen using an algorithm to determine the highest overall scores.  This code takes each and every score that the athletes earned and factors it into one overall score.  The Direct Invites are not chosen by one aspect of the tryout, but determined by the highest scores overall from the tryout.  In February, Carli participated at the  Great Lakes tryouts in West Lafayette, IN. The selection show for the Great Lakes Area will air on usssalive.com, June 19.  Carli was selected last year as well and played in the All American games.  The games take place in Viera, Florida, July 20-25.

Carli was excited to meet one of her favorite players, Kirsti Merritt.  Kirsti played for the University of Florida and was drafted to the professional team, Pride.

WVC’s Shalenko Steps Down as Lady Warriors Coach

Wabash Valley College Athletic Director Mike Carpenter announced the resignation of WVC women’s basketball Head Coach Lacey Shalenko on Wednesday morning. Shalenko is pursuing a position in Florida.

Shalenko was the head coach of the Lady Warriors for just one season and guided WVC to a 30-2 record and a perfect 18-0 GRAC record. The 2020 Lady Warriors won the Region 24 women’s basketball championship and advanced to the NJCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shalenko’s Lady Warrior team graduated all eight of their sophomore players, and seven of those players signed on with NCAA Division I Schools.

When reached for comment, Shalenko said, “I would like to thank President Matt Fowler and Athletic Director Mike Carpenter for giving me the opportunity to lead the Lady Warrior basketball program this past season. It was a phenomenal experience and one that will always remain close to my heart.”

WVC Athletic Director Mike Carpenter commented that WVC is “very thankful for Coach Shalenko’s hard work and dedication. She accepted the job at WVC shortly after the school year began last year and did an outstanding job getting to know her players and implementing her system in a short time. We wish Lacey all the best in her future endeavors.”

A national search is underway to replace Shalenko. This will be the fourth coach in the last five seasons to lead the Lady Warriors. During that 4-year span, the Lady Warriors have a remarkable

record of 123-8 and have advanced to the NJCAA national tournament each season. Their four straight Region 24 titles include a 70 game GRAC win streak.

WVC bass team signs Colin King of Marion

Wabash Valley College's bass coach Professor Todd Gill is excited to announce the signing of Colin King for the upcoming 2020–2021 collegiate bass season.

Colin is the son of Mark and Jill King of Marion, Ill. He is a recent graduate of Marion High School and competed with the Marion Bass Team for four seasons. During his high school career, King had multiple Top-10 finishes.

His best finish was 4th place at the National Youth Fishing Association Championship in 2019. On March 1, 2020, King finished 23rd out of over 200 boats at a BASS High School Open on Smith Lake in Cullman, AL. This finish qualified King and teammate Brennan Fox to fish the BASS High School Nationals to be held later this summer. King plans to study Gunsmithing in college and is excited about his opportunity to be a part of the Wabash Valley College bass team.

Those interested in learning more about the WVC bass team can visit wvcwarriorathletics.com, click on Club Teams and select Bass Fishing. High school juniors and seniors interested in a campus visit can fill out the recruiting questionnaire and Coach Gill will contact them to discuss the team and schedule a campus visit. You can also keep up with WVC Bass Team news by following them on Facebook @WVC Bass Team and on Instagram @wvcbassteam.