Wheeling’s Washington returns to Augustana
It all added up for former Wheeling boys basketball coach Lou Wool when he heard Alex Washington had been hired by Augustana College as an assistant men’s basketball team coach.
Washington was a two-time all-conference player for Wool and the Mid-Suburban East Player of the Year in 2004.
“I am not surprised at Alex being named as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Augustana,” Wool said. “He has worked very hard since he graduated to be a college basketball coach.”
After graduating from Wheeling, Washington was a member of three consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin championship teams during his playing days at Augustana.
Washington is returning to his alma mater from Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., where he served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at the NCAA Division II school from 2010-13,
He earned his master’s degree in Organizational and Sports Management before becoming an admissions representative for the college.
“Alex has all the tools of being a great coach,” Wool said. “When he played for me he was like a coach on the floor. He truly loves the game of basketball.”
A 2009 Augustana graduate, Washington was a member of the Viking squads that achieved the CCIW’s first outright three-peat in 28 years, from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
He was also a key contributor on CCIW tournament championship teams in 2007 and 2008.
“Alex combined great talent with incredible understanding of how the game should be played,” Wool said. “He was always talking to me about different basketball situations and strategy. In addition he is a wonderful role model for his players. He is intelligent, clean cut, and has a very classy and dignified manner of conducting himself that his players can look up to and respect.”
A 6-foot-1 guard, Washington played 81 games at Augustanna, scoring 641 points with 225 rebounds and 134 assists.
He averaged 10.3 points for coach Grey Giovanine’s 2007-08 club which won the CCIW regular season and tournament championships.
“I am blessed to have the opportunity to work for my alma mater,” Washington said. “This is such a rewarding situation because I love Augustana and I get to work and learn from a great mentor and friend in Grey Giovanine.
“Being able to represent the Augustana community is special. It’s something that excites me and I will work hard to continue the tradition of excellence that exists at Augustana. It feels good to be home.”
Augustana put together an 86-26 (. 768) record during his four years and a 41-14 (. 745) mark in his two seasons as a starter.
“Alex will make a great addition to our staff,” Giovanine said. “As a member of so many championship efforts as a player here at Augustana, he understands the expectations and culture of our program.
“He has been a successful coach and student recruiter at Wayne State while securing his master’s degree and will no doubt be an asset in our recruiting efforts as well as a teacher on the floor with us. I expect him to be a terrific mentor and role model for the members of our team.”
That’s how Dr. Steve May remembered Washington at Wheeling High School.
“It’s not a stretch at all to see Alex doing this,” said May, the Assistant Principal for Student Activities at Wheeling, who was the recipient of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association’s 2012-13 State Award of Merit for Illinois. “He was a very good student. He was very polite, respectful and very popular with the student body. I am not surprised.”
Washington replaces his former teammate, Rick Harrigan, on the Vikings bench. After two seasons as an Augustana assistant, Harrigan was hired over the summer to replace his high school mentor, Pat Richardson, as head coach at Brother Rice High School in Chicago,
“I am very proud of Alex and everything he has achieved in his life,” Wool added. “I know that his success will continue at Augustana.”
Women’s soccer
Mercer freshman goalkeeper Cristina Mursuli of Inverness split time in the net with Nikki Atkinson, but Mursuli did the brunt of the work to earn her first college victory, a 2-1 win against Stetson in Atlantic Sun Conference play in Macon, Ga.
Mursuli made 8 saves and posted a clean sheet in her 45 minutes of work. She started the second half and replaced Atkinson with Mercer trailing 1-0.
It marked Mursuli’s second appearance in the net this season. Mercer improved to 4-2-1 in the Atlantic Sun and 9-6-2 overall.
Women’s golf
DePauw senior Abby Dickey (St. Viator) shot a team-best 158 as the fourth-ranked Tigers shot a two-round 639 and finished in second place to 11th-ranked Ithaca at Wittenberg’s Pat Clouse Invitational. Dickey’s score placed her fourth in the individual competition.
Football
Junior Justin Wallace (Fremd) rushed for 103 yards and 1 touchdown on 28 carries to help MIT (4-2) over Western New England University 17-14. Wallace also had 2 receptions for 11 yards.
Men’s soccer
Millikin sophomore Zach Solorio (Elk Grove)had goals against Macmurray College (7-0 win) and against No. 8-ranked Wheaton College (3-2 loss). He leads the Big Blue with 6 goals this season. Solorio also has a pair of assists for a team-high 14 points.
RM coaching clinic
The Rolling Meadows Girls Basketball staff will be hosting a coaching clinic for youth coaches on Sunday, Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to noon at Rolling Meadows High School. All coaches planning to attend should contact Rolling Meadows Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach Ryan Kirkorsky at ryan.kirkorsky@d214.org.
Women’s volleyball
After 20 matches in which Bradley is 11-9, Braves senior outside hitter Alise Tupuritis (Maine West) is second on the team in kills (222) and digs (201). Tupuritis was the 2008 Central Suburban North ‘Player of the Year’.
Ÿ Augustana junior Emily Leazer (St. Viator) chipped in 7 kills and had 22 digs in a 3-2 win over Simpson. She also had a solo block and 3 assisted blocks.
Ÿ Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.