Moraine Valley student-athletes were not only recently recognized for their academic achievements in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference, but 12 were honored with the NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Award for the 2010-11 school year.

Being named an NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete requires having higher than a 3.6 G.P.A. after 45 course credit hours and participating in the college's sport for a least one season. Women's tennis players Sonia Almaraz (Morton East) and Daisy Burke (Morton East); softball players Maureen Galazkiewicz (Evergreen Park) and Jayne Joyce (Mt. Assisi); men's tennis player Terrence Gamboa (Reavis); volleyball players Rachel Levitt (Lyons Township) and Shannon Ott (Oak Lawn); golfer Matt Lovelace (Lyons Township); men's basketball player Patrick McCarthy (St. Rita); women's soccer and basketball player Natalie Ross (Evergreen Park); women's cross country runner Ashley Shares (Stagg); and baseball player Austin Wallace (Lincoln-Way East) received this honor. All the athletes received the Exemplary Academic Achievement award except for Ross who received the Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence for attaining a 4.0 G.P.A.

"It is incredible to have 12 of our student-athletes receiving this honor. We are in the business of educating people, and I believe our athletes are using our community college sports program as an avenue to further their education and obtain a degree. I couldn't be prouder of these young men and women," said athletics director Bill Finn.

Moraine Valley led the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference once again in total number of athletes named to the 2010-11 All-Academic team. This year 32 student-athletes topped the list.

To qualify for the conference distinction students must have earned a 3.0 or higher G.P.A. after completing at least 48 course credit hours while participating in one of the college's 12 sports. The 32 Moraine Valley athletes selected were baseball players Tom Pruim (Morgan Park Academy), Dan Townsend (Andrew), Austin Wallace (Lincoln-Way East), Pat Wilkison (Brother Rice), and Jordan Hill (Morgan Park Academy); golfers Ryan Collins (Oak Forest) and Matt Lovelace (Lyons Township); men's basketball players Louis Green (St. Joseph) and Patrick McCarthy (St. Rita); men's soccer players Matt Berman (Andrew), Steve Brown (Andrew), Luis Cajero (Eisenhower), and Micah Van Bruggen (Andrew); men's tennis players Pete Danos (Richards) and Alex Zavala (Oak Lawn); softball players Maureen Galazkiewicz (Evergreen Park), Sandy Saunders (Reavis), Colleen Soppet (Shepard), and Alyssa Prucak (Oak Forest); volleyball players Rachel Levitt (Lyons Township), Shannon Ott (Oak Lawn) and Isabel Reyes (Eisenhower); women's basketball players Jalisa Bryant (Holy Trinity) and Nicole Mazor (Shepard); women's cross country runners Alejandra Dongo (Bremen) and Ashley Shares (Stagg); women's soccer players Kayley Hogan (Evergreen Park), Emily Kasiulyte (Oak Lawn) and Natalie Ross (Evergreen Park); and women's tennis players Sonia Almaraz (Morton East), Daisy Burke (Morton East) and Cynthia Rimmer (Sandburg).

Ross also was one of three student-athletes awarded the Dick Durrant Award for the highest GPA in the conference.

"The dedication of the student-athletes and the amount of time they put into their sport is dwarfed by the time they put into their class work. We're fortunate to have this number of studious athletes," said athletics director Bill Finn. "I'm really proud of them. They really demonstrate their skills on and off the field. I have to acknowledge the athlete success coordinator, Gloria Coughlin, whose perseverance and work with the students was a big factor in this many students being honored."

The volleyball camp will be instructed by Cyclones volleyball coach Gloria Coughlin, who coached her team to a winning season as Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference and NJCAA Region IV champs and into the national tournament in Wisconsin. This camp is for youths entering fifth through ninth grades and runs July 18-21, noon-1:45 p.m.

Athletics director Bill Finn will instruct the basketball camp. Finn was head coach of Moraine Valley men's basketball team for 22 years, leading the team to the national tournament four times and finishing in the final four twice. This camp is for youths entering third through eighth grades and runs July 18-21, 9:15-11 a.m.

Both camps are $70 and will take place in the Cyclones Center (Building G) on campus. For more information call (708) 974-5727 or visit the summer camps page.

"Signing Nicole is by far the best quality recruit for women's tennis we've signed at Moraine Valley. We expect great things from her," said women's tennis coach Bill Finn.

Both the men's and women's basketball teams are getting back in the game tonight when the second half of their season begins.

The Cyclones had a challenging start to the season, with the men going 3-11 and the women just over .500 with an 8-5 record. The men ended 2010 with a close game against Danville Area Community College, resulting in a 65-63 loss. The women added a crushing 77-49 win over Wright College to top off 2010. Both teams hope to re-energize the season with their game tonight against Malcolm X College. They begin their conference play on Saturday against McHenry County College.

Thirty-six all-star senior volleyball players across the state and two top high school girls� volleyball coaches will compete in the SportsTownChicago.com Illinois High School Volleyball All-Star Game on Monday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. in the Cyclones Center at Moraine Valley.

Chicago Christian coach James Garcia and Cary-Grove coach Patty Langanis will each lead a team of the most talented volleyball high school players in the state based on sports writers, broadcasters at SportsTownChicago.com and Illinois High School Association stats. High school athletes will represent Queen of Peace, Mount Assisi, Sandburg, Marist, Chicago Christian, Reavis, Mother McAuley, Lemont, Glenbrook South, Evanston, Prospect, York, Scales-Mound, Cary-Grove, Hinsdale Central, West Chicago, Hinsdale South, Libertyville, Waubonsie Valley, Wheaton-St. Francis, St. Ignatius, Lyons Township, Edwardsville, Payton, Naperville North, Crystal Lake Central, Bartlett, Hononegah, Wheaton Warrenville South, Benet Academy, Marian Central Catholic, DeKalb, Joliet Catholic Academy, and Schaumburg.

Proceeds from the $5 admission at the door will be donated to A Silver Lining Foundation (ASLF), founded in 2002 by NBC Chicago�s Dr. Sandy Goldberg. ASLF is a non-profit organization that partners with community, advocacy and healthcare organizations to ensure equal access to quality cancer education and services for all those in need. One program in particular that will receive the funds is Buy A Mom A Mammogram, which allows low-income, uninsured and underinsured women the opportunity to get a free screening mammogram and follow-up diagnostic evaluation at one of six partner hospitals in Chicago.

Sponsors for the event include Buffalo Wild Wings, the Law Office of John Zapala and the Illinois Center for Broadcasting. The matchup will be video-streamed live to the SportsTownChicago.com website.

In the last national ranking of the 2010 season, cross country was ranked 24th in the NJCAA Division I. They recently placed second in the Region IV championship.

As of Oct. 27, the volleyball squad is ranked 14th in Division II but has been ranked as high as 10th. They were undefeated in conference this season.

Tune in this fall as the crew from SportsTownChicago.com broadcasts a selection of Moraine Valley home games live, starting with the women�s soccer game on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 4 p.m. To listen to this game, and games for several other Cyclones sports teams, just go to SportsTownChicago.com and click on 'Listen Live.'
Stay tuned, future games to be broadcast will be posted here.

Moraine Valley student-athletes were using not only their athletic skills this year but also working diligently in the classroom. Thirty-two student-athletes were named to the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference All-Academic team and nine were NJCAA Academic All-Americans for the 2009-10 school year.

To qualify for the conference distinction, students must have earned a 3.0 or higher G.P.A. after completing at least 48 course credit hours while participating in one of the college�s 12 sports. Within the eight colleges in the conference, Moraine Valley had the most athletes honored�25 percent.

The 32 Moraine Valley athletes selected were soccer players Nadia Equihua (Argo), Kelly Pecka (Shepard), Jose Alonso (Whitney Young), Matt Brady (Brother Rice), Chris Frazzini (Sandburg), Dominick Hradecki (Reavis), Efrain Jimenez (Sandburg), Djordje Lucic (Sandburg), Christian Marquez (Argo), Kyle Mastey (Andrew), and Mariusz Waksmundzki (Reavis); basketball players Jessica Groszek (Tinley Park), Sharnita Lloyd (Eisenhower) and Scott Lyons (Ridgewood Baptist); tennis players Nicholle Rusnak (Stagg), Carrie Wolf (Shepard) and Terrence Gamboa (Reavis); volleyball players Melissa Barber (Oak Lawn) and Dana Long (Evergreen Park); cross country runners Cristina Dongo (Bremen), Julia Gonzalez (Sandburg), Melissa Janda (Stagg), and Jim Johnson (Reavis); softball players Elizabeth Healy (Marist), Jayne Joyce (Mt. Assisi), Samantha Salis (Mother McAuley), and Kelly Small (Oak Lawn); baseball players Dennis De La Rosa (Jones College Prep), John Harris (Marian Catholic), Jordan Jones (Seton), John Pikes (St. Laurence), and Ben Szafoni (Richards).

Being named an NJCAA Academic All-American requires having higher than a 3.6 G.P.A. after 45 course credit hours and participating in the college�s sport for a least one season. Brady, De La Rosa, Equihua, Frazzini, Groszek, Johnson, Joyce, Wolf, and golfer Matt Lovelace (Lyons Township) received this honor. Groszek and Frazzini had distinguished honors for earning a 3.8 G.P.A. or higher.

"I�m proud of these student-athletes and their distinguished academic performance at Moraine Valley. This is a great achievement and says a lot about our students,� said Athletics director Bill Finn. �I think Gloria Coughlin, our Athlete Success Coordinator, has proven to be a huge asset as demonstrated by the success of these athletes.�

Boys and girls looking to improve their basketball, volleyball or tennis skills are invited to register for Moraine Valley�s summer sports camps.

The 2010 Basketball Camp for boys and girls entering third through eighth grades will be held Monday, July 12, through Thursday, July 15, from 9 to 11 a.m. Bill Finn, Moraine Valley Athletics director and former men�s basketball coach, is heading this camp. The camp will help develop and improve fundamental basketball skills for youths of all abilities through group and individual drills, instruction and team play.

The 2010 Volleyball Camp for boys and girls entering fifth through ninth grades will take place Monday, July 12, through Thursday, July 15, from noon until 2 p.m. Moraine Valley women�s volleyball head coach Gloria Coughlin is leading this camp. Participants will improve and develop fundamental volleyball skills through group work and individual attention.

The 2010 Tennis Camps for boys and girls entering second through ninth grades will take place in one of three sessions Monday, July 5, through Friday, July 9; Monday, July 12, through Friday, July 16; or Monday, August 2, through Friday, August 6, which excludes sessions for ninth graders.

The cost for the basketball and volleyball camp is $70 and for tennis camp the cost is $75. Both basketball and volleyball camps are held in Moraine Valley�s gymnasium. The tennis camps will be conducted on the tennis courts on the southwest side of campus. Participants can only register through Moraine Valley�s Athletics Department. For more information call (708) 974-5727.

Moraine Valley looked at 1,398 first-time, full-time certificate or degree-seeking students entering the college during the fall semester of 2006, tracking them for three years. Twenty-three of those students were first-time, full-time athletes entering the college and receiving athletically related student aid. After three years (as of August 31, 2009) 39 percent had graduated from Moraine Valley and 30 percent had transferred to another college without completing a degree. For non student-athletes, 18 percent had graduated from Moraine Valley, 31 percent had transferred to another college without completing a degree and 24 percent were still enrolled at the college.

�It is a great testament to our Athletics staff that the student-athletes academic support programs we have in place seem to be working because our student-athlete graduation rates are high,� said Athletics director Bill Finn.

Disclaimer: Graduation rates are affected by a number of factors. Some students leave because their career goals changed and some leave when they get a job. Some may leave because of academic deficiencies. Some students begin full-time but are unable to continue attending full-time and thus would need more than three years to graduate.

The women�s basketball team won their fourth consecutive Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Championship, clinching the crown with a win over Oakton Community College on Feb. 16. In the last seven seasons the Cyclones have been champions five times. Both the men�s and women�s basketball teams begin Region IV playoffs on Feb. 25.

The softball team is holding tryouts for all interested players on Feb. 26 and 27, 6-8 p.m. both days in the gym (Building G). Athletes only need to attend one of the sessions. For additional information call coach Dick Loescher at (630) 347-5678. The men�s tennis team is holding tryouts March 17 at 2 p.m. on the courts, the southwest side of campus. If the weather is questionable or for any other inquiries, call coach Bill Finn at (708) 974-5213.

As the basketball season inches toward the playoffs, the spring sports teams are shaping up. As of today the women�s basketball team remains atop the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference with a 10-1 conference record and 17-7 overall record. As long as the Cyclones maintain their team cohesion they will be on their way to a fourth consecutive conference championship. The team�s top scorer, Nicole Wilk, was ranked 18th this week in NJCAA Division II for individual scoring with an 18.6 average. Following behind was Sharnita Lloyd, ranked 38th with her 16.3 scoring average. The women's team also came in 16th for their 67 percent free throw average.

The men's basketball team is having a tougher season, going 14-13 so far with a handful of games left. A couple of players, however, are ranking high in NJCAA Division II stats. Power forward/center Dwight Mc Combs topped the rankings for individual blocks per game with a 5.6 average. He also is seventh for both rebounds with 12.7 per game and field goal percentage at 70 percent. Ranked 19th for individual scoring, Mc Combs averages 21 points per game while teammate Malcolm Holmes pulls in 18.5 points per game and is ranked 44th. Holmes was 15th for field goal (3-pointers) percentage leaders at 55 percent.

The softball team is holding tryouts for all interested players on Feb. 26 and 27, 6-8 p.m. both days in the gym (Building G). Athletes only need to attend one of the sessions. For additional information call coach Dick Loescher at (630) 347-5678. The men's tennis team is holding tryouts March 17 at 2 p.m. on the courts, which are on the southwest side of campus. If the weather is questionable, call coach Bill Finn at (708) 974-5213. The baseball team is practicing and begins play in early March.