Lincoln Land Community College sophomore outfielder Austin Muench got his first look at his future team when the Loggers faced the University of Illinois Springfield in a fall game.
“Their program is going up and they’re starting to win a lot more,” Muench said. “We played them in the fall and they were good. I liked the way they played.”
Muench signed a letter of intent to play for the Prairie Stars in 2016.
UIS has unveiled a nine-player recruiting class that includes Muench. He had a .295 batting average with 29 RBIs, 11 steals and four triples for LLCC last season.
“He throws really well from the outfield. He has baseball speed,” UIS coach Chris Ramirez said.
“You can see that with his triples and stolen bases. He is also a strong hitter. He’s going to provide good versatility from the offensive side.”
Another local signee is Chatham Glenwood High School pitcher Matt Sekardi. In 28 1/3 innings, he had a 1.73 earned run average, striking out 19 batters. He posted a 3-4 record. He is one of four pitching recruits and seven incoming freshmen.
Wilmot (Wisconsin) High School pitcher Austin Brewer recorded a 1.90 ERA and 9-1 last season. The Stars nabbed a pair of left-handed pitchers in Palos Heights Shepard High School’s Adam Gregory and Plainfield North High School’s Kyle Strepek. Strepek went 9-1 with a 1.64 ERA, 85 strikeouts and 15 walks last spring. He was also named to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A all-state first team. Gregory had a 0.47 ERA and 10-1 record.
UIS has added a power hitter in Jason Galeano, a sophomore first baseman at Iowa Central Community College from Brooklyn, New York. He drove in 38 runs, hit 13 doubles and seven home runs en route to a .362 batting average.
“He is a true hitter,” Ramirez said. “He hits for good average. I always like to have some guys like him that can have a physical presence in the middle of our lineup.”
UIS has added two catchers. Ashland (Wisconsin) High School’s John Sechen is the top-ranked catching prospect by Wisconsin Prep Baseball Report. He hit .462 last season.
First baseman/catcher Ryan Deering hit .259 and had 15 RBIs for Christian Brothers College High School in suburban St. Louis.
Second baseman McCauley Cox plays for Janesville (Wisconsin) Craig High School and is ranked 34th by the Wisconsin Prep Baseball Report.
This story appeared online in The State Journal-Register on November 13, 2014.
Read the entire story here.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Adoption Month: UIS Student Shares His Success Story
According to the Department of Children and Family Services, 17,000 foster children were adopted in Illinois over the last decade.
Dominique Wilson, 22, was one of those children.
The Chicago native, now a Junior at the University of Illinois Springfield was separated from his biological parents when he was three-years-old. Though, with help from DCFS, he was not only placed into a loving home, but received funding for a college education.
"There's a support system that is there within DCFS to help you," Wilson said. "So allow them to help you, because I feel like there are so many youth that become very defensive because there have been so many people that have come into their lives and left."
Jennifer Florent, of DCFS says it's important for people in the community to know there is always in need for foster and adoptive homes throughout the state.
If you're interested in more information on adoption, visit, The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
This story was featured on www.foxillinois.com on Thursday, November 13, 2014.
Watch the story here.
Dominique Wilson, 22, was one of those children.
The Chicago native, now a Junior at the University of Illinois Springfield was separated from his biological parents when he was three-years-old. Though, with help from DCFS, he was not only placed into a loving home, but received funding for a college education.
"There's a support system that is there within DCFS to help you," Wilson said. "So allow them to help you, because I feel like there are so many youth that become very defensive because there have been so many people that have come into their lives and left."
Jennifer Florent, of DCFS says it's important for people in the community to know there is always in need for foster and adoptive homes throughout the state.
If you're interested in more information on adoption, visit, The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
This story was featured on www.foxillinois.com on Thursday, November 13, 2014.
Watch the story here.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
UIS women's basketball team shoots for a winning season
The University of Illinois Springfield women’s basketball team gave fans a sneak peak at the Blue Madness fan event Tuesday.
When UIS plays its first game Nov. 22 in front of the hometown crowd, the Prairie Stars will have three games under their belt and an idea of how they play together. Those are necessary assets for a squad with 11 new players, including nine transfers.
The Stars will have a totally different look from the one that was 7-19 overall and 3-15 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
“We’re more athletic,” UIS coach Chad Oletzke said. “We’re more versatile. We’re bigger. We’re more skilled. We’re deeper. We want to go at least 10, but I think we can go a little deeper ... 10 to 12. We just have to find a way to come together as a team. We’re going to need time to gel.”
The team was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 13, 2014.
Read the article online
When UIS plays its first game Nov. 22 in front of the hometown crowd, the Prairie Stars will have three games under their belt and an idea of how they play together. Those are necessary assets for a squad with 11 new players, including nine transfers.
The Stars will have a totally different look from the one that was 7-19 overall and 3-15 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
“We’re more athletic,” UIS coach Chad Oletzke said. “We’re more versatile. We’re bigger. We’re more skilled. We’re deeper. We want to go at least 10, but I think we can go a little deeper ... 10 to 12. We just have to find a way to come together as a team. We’re going to need time to gel.”
The team was featured by The State Journal-Register on November 13, 2014.
Read the article online
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)