Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Japanese-Americans see significance in Obama's Hiroshima visit

Erika Suzuki of Springfield recalled talking to an American who recently visited Hiroshima.

"He told me that they didn't expect an apology (from President Obama), that they only required three words: 'No more Hiroshimas,' in any places in the world," said Suzuki, program coordinator for International Student Services at the University of Illinois Springfield.

"In my feeling, the majority of Hiroshima people want him to see and learn what happened (as a result of the bombing) and to lead the world into the future."

The visit adds to the “Obama Doctrine,” especially the use of diplomacy rather than a unilateral approach, said Ali Nizamuddin, an associate professor of political science at UIS.

“It’s not just a cosmetic visit,” said Nizamuddin. “It sends a positive message that the U.S. is committed to Japan and the security alliance.”

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 22, 2016.

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Challenging ‘junk science’ in arson case

A Naperville man is asking a judge to overturn his murder conviction on the grounds that the prosecution’s case was built on junk science.

William Amor spent the last 21 years behind bars for the death of his mother-in-law in a 1995 condo fire that investigators ruled as arson. His exoneration bid hinges on convincing the judge that new scientific research debunks old beliefs about how fire behaves.

The Illinois Innocence Project, based at the University of Illinois Springfield, took on Amor’s case and is working to get his conviction overturned.

The story was reported by the Illinois Times on May 19, 2016.

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Friday, May 20, 2016

UIS' Supak ties for 79th in Division II men's golf nationals

University of Illinois Springfield junior Talon Supak finished the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship tied for 79th Thursday and shot a three-day total of 10-over-par 226 at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club.

Supak shot a 3-over 75 in the final round. He made birdies on the par-4, 348-yard No. 4 hole and the par-3, 190-yard 13th hole. Supak shot 75, 76 and 75 over three rounds.

St. Leo’s Hugo Bernard was medalist with a 13-under-203.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 20, 2016.

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Prairie Stars add five runners

Riverton High School’s Blake Carlino, Wheeling’s Elliot Nabatov, Bartonville Limestone’s Tyler Hiserote, Quincy’s Brendan Kroeger and Lincoln College transfer Garrad Straube will run for the University of Illinois Springfield men’s cross country and track programs next year.

UIS competed in its first cross country season last fall. It will have its inaugural track season in 2017.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 20, 2016.

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Cravatta, Ramirez win GLVC awards

University of Illinois Springfield men’s basketball player JJ Cravatta and women’s golfer Rebecca Ramirez are Great Lakes Valley Conference James R. Spalding individual sportsmanship award winners.

Each GLVC school has a male and female winner.

UIS won the men’s cross country team award.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 20, 2016.

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Thursday, May 19, 2016

'Dirty Dancing,' 'Once' headline Sangamon Auditorium 2016-17 season

With the current season coming to a close, Sangamon Auditorium is looking toward the 2016-17 season with an eclectic lineup of shows.

“We have a full season of Broadway, our Visiting Artist series and our Kitchen Sink series,” said Bob Vaughn, director of Sangamon Auditorium. “And each of those series have a variety of different things going on.”

Audiences will be most familiar with the shows in the UIS Broadway series. This year, the touring Broadway productions of “Dirty Dancing,” “Once,” “Pippin,” “Chicago,” and “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” will hit the stage.

While “Chicago” and “Cinderella” are household names, “Once” is still a fairly new musical to most audiences. Premiering on Broadway in 2012, the show is a stage adaptation of the 2007 movie of the same name. The two main characters, Guy and Girl fall in love, using the power of music to navigate a relationship complicated by outside forces. The show won a number of Tonys that year, including Best Musical.

In addition to the Broadway series, UIS has a Visiting Artists series, and this year’s lineup is a diverse group.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 19, 2016.

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UIS announces 2016 sports Hall of Fame class

George Lidster, Audra Roach Wyant, Manny Velasco, the 1993 men’s soccer national championship team and Bob and Vickie Spencer make up the University of Illinois Springfield’s 2016 Hall of Fame Class.

The 2016 hall of fame ceremony is Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at The Recreation and Athletic Center.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 19, 2016.

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Men's Soccer: UIS' Hall signs five

University of Illinois Springfield first-year coach Adam Hall has added five international players to the 2016 roster.

Six-foot defensive player Santiago Focil hails from Ecuador. Mario Falsone is a 5-10 player from Edinburgh, Scotland and was the top scorer on his team as a sophomore and senior. Harry Hiscock is a 5-8 center midfielder from Buckinghamshire, England. Sam Jones, a 5-11 attacking player, played fro the under-18 Wales team. Edward Rose is a 6-1 defensive player from Wolverhampton, England.

Hall has his own international ties. He is a native of Arbroath, Scotland.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 19, 2016.

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Women's Soccer: Rea, Druien sign with UIS

Heartland Community College transfer Caitlin Druien and Waukegan High School’s Jasmine Rea have signed with the University of Illinois Springfield women’s soccer program.

Rea is a center midfielder. Druien played soccer at Byron High School, then was a member of Heartland’s team for two seasons.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 19, 2016.

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Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Over 150 UI alumni meeting lawmakers at Capitol

Alumni from all three University of Illinois campuses will be traveling to the State Capitol Wednesday to meet with legislators for U of I Alumni Day.

This annual event brings alumni from the Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield campuses together to deliver a message on behalf of the University. Alumni will be meeting with their elected representatives to encourage funding support for the University and higher education in general.

U of I President Tim Killeen will also be joining the alumni and says he is great to alumni for sharing their experiences with lawmakers to help the University.

The story was reported by WAND-TV on May 16, 2016.

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Monday, May 16, 2016

UIS' Supak makes history with trip to Division II golf nationals

Finals week is grueling but the University of Illinois Springfield’s Talon Supak didn’t need to go far for a pick-me-up.

The junior golfer only needed to glance at his desk. On display is the medalist trophy he won at the NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Super Regional in Allendale, Michigan, May 4.

“I have it on the centerpiece of my desk,” he said. “I look at it all the time.”

Supak has won tournaments before but none as big as the super regional. He was No. 1 in a field of 100 and beat Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Zach James by a single stroke for medalist honors.

The victory earned Supak a spot in the 108-player field at the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships Tuesday through Saturday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, Colorado.

“It’s real exciting to get to go,” Supak said. “I knew going into the super regional I had to get top five at least to try to make it in. I really didn’t expect to win. That gives me a lot of confidence coming in now.”

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 15, 2016.

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Speaker tells UIS graduates to follow their heart

Donna Sollenberger, commencement speaker Saturday at the University of Illinois Springfield's commencement ceremony, encouraged students to follow their heart when picking a career.

“The choices you make become the story of your life,” Sollenberger said. “As your story unfolds, define who you are.”

Saturday marked the largest commencement ceremony in the history of UIS.

Of the 1,716 students eligible to graduate, 1,106 participated in the ceremony at the Prairie Capital Convention Center. The student speaker was Robyn Nicole Crutchfield, a communications major from Matteson.

Saturday marked the 45th commencement ceremony in the history of the university, formerly called Sangamon State University.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 15, 2016.

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More than one thousand graduate UIS

More than one thousand students walked across the stage Saturday, and can now call themselves proud alumni of the University of Illinois Springfield.

Commencement was held at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield.

1,106 students took part.

New graduates say that going through graduation feels like a rite of passage.

"It's definitely kind of like an awakening feeling today, especially putting on the cap and gown. And seeing all the graduates, and knowing that this - I have to be an adult now, doing adult things as well, I'm excited though and i'm proud to be where I am today," said Rebbecca Ramirez.

The story was reported by Fox Illinois on May 14, 2016.

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Thursday, May 12, 2016

UIS baseball team hopeful heading into GLVC tournament

The University of Illinois Springfield made its Great Lakes Valley Conference Baseball Championship Tournament debut in 2014 and is returning to postseason play after a one-year absence.

“One thing that gives us a lot of confidence with our players is we’ve basically beat everybody in it,” UIS coach Chris Ramirez said. “Of the seven opponents, we’ve beaten five of them already.”

The only team in the field that UIS has lost to is nationally-ranked Quincy and the Prairie Stars have not played William Jewell.

UIS is 1-2 this season against its first-round opponent Missouri S&T. The Stars (28-21) play Missouri S&T (34-15) at 3 p.m. eastern time today in the double-elimination, eight-team tournament at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 12, 2016.

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UIS' Hannam earns GLVC first-team baseball honors

University of Illinois Springfield junior outfielder Trey Hannam received Great Lakes Valley Conference first-team baseball honors Wednesday.

Hannam is tied for third in the conference with 12 home runs and has UIS' second-best batting average at .342. He has played in seven fewer games than most GLVC players and ranks sixth in RBIs per game with 1.0. Hannam has a team-high 43 RBIs and has scored 41 runs. He is first or second in seven offensive categories.

Junior designated hitter Jason Galeano and freshman catcher John Sechen were named to the second team.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 12, 2016.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

UIS unveils its first Lincoln statue, 'The Young Lawyer'

A life-size statue of Abraham Lincoln by renowned artist George Lundeen was unveiled Tuesday on the University of Illinois Springfield quad. It is the first statue of Lincoln at the university.

The 6-foot, 4-inch polished bronze statue is titled “The Young Lawyer” and is of a young, smiling Abraham Lincoln with his signature stovepipe hat in his left hand and his right hand outstretched as if to shake hands. For the unveiling, Lincoln wore a white floral boutonnière. The statue is on the Quad, west of the Colonnade between the Public Affairs Center and University Hall.

UIS Chancellor Susan Koch: “Every campus needs significant landmarks that create a sense of identity and history. UIS is a young campus and the only such landmark on the campus until today has been our beautiful Colonnade. Today we are about to unveil another wonderful landmark.”

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 11, 2016.

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Volleyball: Loggers’ Sunderlin signs with UIS

Lincoln Land Community College All-American volleyball player Tiffany Sunderlin will play for the University of Illinois Springfield next season.

The 5-foot-9 sophomore outside hitter has signed a national letter of intent with the Prairie Stars.

Sunderlin is LLCC’s all-time kills leader and became the first Loggers player named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Two-Year College Women’s Volleyball All-American Team last fall. She received second-team honors after the Loggers placed second at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Volleyball Championship. She was also a NJCAA first-team All-American. Sunderlin led LLCC with 554 kills and was second in digs with 475. She is the only LLCC player with more than 1,00 career kills. Sunderlin is from Uhrichsville, Ohio.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 11, 2016.

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UIS' Supak earns all-conference men's golf honors

University of Illinois Springfield junior Talon Supak was among the 10 golfers on the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference men’s team released Tuesday.

Supak was a coaches’ choice. He was medalist at the NCAA Division II Super Regional in Allendale, Michigan last week. He will compete in the national championships Tuesday through May 21 at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, Colorado. Supak is a two-time all-conference pick.

UIS senior Kent Gregory is one of 14 James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honorees. The honorees are eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 11, 2016.

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Monday, May 9, 2016

New director named for UIS Survey Research Office

An associate at the Pew Research Center has been named director of the Survey Research Office at University of Illinois Springfield.

Juan Carlos Donoso succeeds Ashley Kirzinger in the research office, which is part of the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS.

Donoso most recently has worked as an associate researcher in the Religion and Public Life Project at Pew Research Center. Prior to joining the Pew Research Center, Donoso was a professor of political science and international relations at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Quito, Ecuador. He also founded PRIME Consulting, a social science and survey firm, and worked as national research director for the National Electoral Council of Ecuador.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 7, 2016.

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Mt. Zion's secret weapon signs with UIS baseball

Cameron Leff was virtually unknown to other members of the Decatur-area baseball community before last season, and it was for good reason. He and his family had just moved to Mt. Zion from Wichita, Kansas.

After he took the field, that community took notice, and quickly.

Leff, a pitcher/outfielder, will now take his game west on I-72 to play for head coach Chris Ramirez at Division II Illinois-Springfield.

The story was reported by WAND-TV on May 7, 2016.

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Friday, May 6, 2016

UIS golfer Talon Supak of Washington wins D-II super regional

Washington High graduate Talon Supak on Sunday night was named the Male Athlete of the Year at the University of Illinois Springfield for the second year in a row. And that latest honor came three days before the junior men’s golfer made school history.

Supak won the NCAA Midwest Super Regional on Wednesday to become the first athlete or team in UIS history to advance past super regional play. Supak earned a bid to the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships, which run May 17-21 in Denver.

Including a windy final day in Allendale, Mich., Supak shot a 54-hole total of 5-over-par 218 to win medalist honors by one stroke over Zach James of Southeastern Oklahoma State. The regional was made up of 20 teams and eight individuals.

The win was reported by the Peoria Journal Star on May 5, 2016.

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Job market outlook for 2016 graduates

Graduation is quickly approaching for many college students. For those students trying to find full time jobs, it can be a challenge and overwhelming experience.

One week before graduation, students on the University of Illinois Springfield campus are busy, all of them studying for finals and some preparing to hit the workforce.

"Long term, I want to be a police officer in Chicago," said Janet Howell who is a senior at UIS.

Howell has yet to land the job. She's already taken her entrance exam and the results could take years. In the meantime, she's moving back in with mom and dad.

Reports show almost 40 percent of Americans have college degrees. That's why Ron McNeil, UIS dean of the College of Business and Management, says you've got to make yourself more appealing during the application process.

"In academia, we teach too much book knowledge. There's not enough real world knowledge. To be competitive, you need real world knowledge," said McNeil.

The story was reported by Fox Illinois on May 5, 2016.

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Thursday, May 5, 2016

Construction underway for $21.7M UIS student union project

University of Illinois trustee Karen Hasara remembers her days as a then-Sangamon State University student in 1970.

“We thought the buildings would be very temporary, and they’re still here,” she said. “It was hard to find a place to talk to fellow students.”

That’s about to change. U of I officials from both Springfield and Champaign, current and former students, and donors gathered on the University of Illinois Springfield South Quad Wednesday to ceremonially break ground for the school’s $21.7 million student union that will be funded almost entirely by private donations and student fees.

“I didn’t think it would take this long,” said Hasara, a former Springfield mayor, state legislator and holder of two degrees from UIS.

The two-story, 50,000 square-foot facility is expected to be completed early in 2018, and student fees won’t go up until the building is in use.

UIS Chancellor Susan Koch welcomed the crowd to Wednesday's groundbreaking.

“I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking forward to saying those words,” she said.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on May 5, 2016.

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UIS breaks ground on student union

Ground has been broken on what is being referred to as the “Living Room” for the students of the University of Illinois Springfield.

“Student unions have proved to be as valuable as classrooms,” says Timothy Killeen, U of I president. “They’ve become central to the college experience, places where students can unwind and recharge, a place to interact, and sharpen social skills that will serve them for a lifetime.”

Killeen, at a ceremony marking the start of building the $22 million Student Union — one that students have urged for years, along with Chancellor Susan Koch.

“Today marks a historic moment in life of this Springfield campus. This groundbreaking today is the culmination of years of planning, imagining, negotiating, campaigning, fundraising, and — I will admit — no small measure of strategic whining and complaining on the part of the Chancellor.

The story was reported by WTAX radio on May 4, 2016.

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LLC's Long commits to UIS track, volleyball

Before coming to Lake Land College to play volleyball, Demmie Long had the opportunity to go to the University of Illinois Springfield. But she was given the advice to go to Lake Land, which the Neoga native did.

For the last two years, Long has been a setter and defensive specialist for the LLC volleyball team. She will add more to her plate next year because not only will she be a walk on for the UIS volleyball team, Long will also be a member of the UIS track and field team.

For Long, the opportunity to play at the NCAA Division II level was too much to pass up. She drew interest from some NAIA and D-III schools, but UIS and Maryville University, another D-II school, stood out.

"I knew I didn't want to go to an NAIA or D-III school because a lot of those schools are really expensive," Long said. "I had a couple of D-II looks and the fact that UIS could offer me volleyball and track was a plus."

Maryville was interest in Long, but only for volleyball and she wanted to compete in both sports, giving UIS the edge.

"UIS, I was talking to them my senior year out of high school and it was just something that continued when I was at Lake Land," Long said. "UIS said the smartest thing for me to do was to start for two years at Lake Land, progress and contact them after my two years here. My skill set wasn't where they wanted it then, but they said it's a lot better now."

The story was reported by the Mattoon Journal Gazette on May 4, 2016.

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Tuesday, May 3, 2016

UIS golfer Supak tied for fifth in Super Regional

Talon Supak of the University of Illinois Springfield shot a 1-under-par 70 Monday and is tied for fifth place after the opening round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Super Regional at The Meadows.

The 54-hole tournament continues today and concludes Wednesday. The top five teams and the top two individuals not members of the top five teams will advance to the NCAA Division II National Championships May 17-21 in Denver, Colorado.

Supak, who started on the front nine Monday, double-bogeyed the par-4 first hole but had three birdies and 14 pars the rest of the way. Two of his birdies came on par-3 holes: Nos. 2 and 17.

Supak was featured by The State Journal-Register on May 3, 2016.

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Monday, May 2, 2016

Redeeming Innocence for 15 Years

The Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois Springfield celebrated 15 years of service Saturday evening.

Exonerating 9 Illinois citizens who have been wrongly convicted of crimes,the organization seeks to help more innocent people who have been wrongly convicted in the justice system.

The most recent exoneree is a Champaign native, Teshome Campbell who spent 18 years behind bars for 1st degree murder, a crime he had no involvement with.

"When I saw the individuals walk across the stage in Chicago each of whom was innocent pick up a flower and go before the cameras and say if it wasn't for the Innocence Project I would have been killed by the State of Texas, the State of Florida, the State of Illinois 3, 4, 5 years ago if it weren't for that. It just can't help but get to you," said Larry Golden, founding director of the Illinois Innocence Project.

The story was reported by WAND-TV 17 on April 30, 2016.

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New UIS community garden will serve multiple purposes

The new community garden at the University of Illinois Springfield is small — only a 20-by-20 foot plot with raised beds — but it has in it everything but the kitchen sink.

Wait — that’s in there, too, along with a repurposed bathtub from the nearby Strawbridge-Shepherd House on campus.

Organizers intend for the UIS Campus Community Garden to serve as a model for sustainability, to build community and to provide hands-on learning.

Megan Styles, assistant professor of environmental studies, said the idea for the garden came from two students in her Introduction to Sustainability class who decided to make a garden their class project last fall.

A core group of about six students, aided by a dozen or more other volunteers, now work on the garden, which was dedicated by UIS Chancellor Susan Koch on Friday.

Koch, who cut a green burlap ribbon that will be repurposed in the garden, said she liked the idea that it is a learning lab.

“It is so hands-on and an example of the personalized education we provide,” Koch said.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on April 30, 2016.

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UIS golfers feel at home for Super Regional

It’s the biggest competition of the season for the University of Illinois Springfield women’s golf team, and the Prairie Stars are playing it at their home course.

Panther Creek Country Club is the site of the NCAA Division II East Super Regional on Monday through Wednesday, and the Prairie Stars are a first-time qualifier.

“That should play at an advantage for us,” UIS sophomore golfer Taryn Pittman said. “It’s a cool feeling to have it in Springfield and to be able to tell people, ‘Hey, come out and watch.’

“I feel super confident in our ability to play there and shoot well.”

Becca Ramirez is the sole senior on the UIS squad, and receiving the invite is a dream come true for the Springfield High School graduate.

“We knew we were ranked pretty high coming into spring,” she said. “We were ranked ninth, then we dropped to 11th. We knew we were on the edge, so that lit a fire underneath us and we started playing really well after that. We moved back to the 10 spot and that’s when we knew we could actually play with a lot of these teams. They see us as a threat and that’s fun to see.”

The team was highlighted by The State Journal-Register on May 2, 2016.

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UIS baseball team splits with Indianapolis

Gabriel Acevedo hit an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the University of Illinois Springfield a 6-5 win over No. 18 Indianapolis in the first game of a Great Lakes Valley Conference baseball doubleheader Friday.

Indianapolis rebounded with a 13-1 win in the second game.

UIS held a 5-0 lead through six innings in the first game. Indianapolis scored twice in seventh, then tied the game at 5-all with a three-run top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, UIS’ Adam Warda hit a single, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. He scored on Acevedo’s hit to center field.

The win was highlighted by The State Journal-Register on April 30, 2016.

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Women's Tennis: UIS' Carter earns GLVC honors

University of Illinois Springfield sophomore tennis player Jane Carter has received Great Lakes Valley Conference first team honors for the second consecutive season.

The New Zealand native is the Prairie Stars’ No. 1 singles player. She had a 16-8 singles record, breaking her single-season mark of 14 wins last season. Her doubles record was 13-2. She won eight of nine matches at one point during the season.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on April 30, 2016.

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