Collins will take record-breaking career to St. Xavier

She is already the all-time leading rebounder in Maine West girls basketball history with nearly 1,000.

And if Brittany Collins keeps scoring the way she has started the 2013-14 season, she will become the school’s all-time leading scorer.

After a 36-point outburst against Harlan on Saturday, Collins has 1,487 points in her four seasons under Hall of fame coach Derril Kipp.

That puts her third on West’s all-time list behind 2005 graduate Megan Edwards (1,648) and 1982 grad Donna Logisz (1,520).

You can bet Saint Xavier coach Bob Hallberg is eagerly awaiting Collins’ arrival on campus.

The 6-foot senior forward recently made her verbal commitment to play at the Chicago school which has advanced to the NAIA national tournament each of the last 11 seasons.

“It’s a good fit for her because she wanted to stay closer to home and she can be a great player there,” Kipp said. “They play for national championships every year and how many kids get to do that? And she will probably play right away as a freshman.”

Collins played right away as a freshman for Kipp. Her only other coach was her father, Paul.

“From fourth to eighth grade, my dad coached the teams I played on,” said Brittany, whose mother Kathy was a basketball player at Good Counsel.

Collins will be joining a Saint Xavier program which has won at least 20 games in each season under Hallberg, including a program-best 31 wins in 2010.

“I think the school is really a good fit for me,” Collins said. “I really connected with the players. I like the location. It’s not too close but it’s still easy to come home. I just felt like it was the school I was supposed to go to.”

Collins said she may study science although she changes her mind “like every week. I’m all over the place with that,” she said.

The way she is scoring and rebounding, it feels like she is all over the place on the court.

Collins has had a double-double in all four of West’s game this season.

Late last season, Collins passed 1998 grad Dawn Vana (1,385) to grab the No. 4 spot on West’s all-time scoring list. This season, she moved in the third spot by surpassing 1990 grad Moira Kennelly (1,445).

Becca Maher commits

Elk Grove senior Becca Maher, who hit a team-high .493 batting average with 41 RBI and 31 extra base hits (12 doubles, 6 triples) last season, has made a verbal commitment to Northwest Missouri State.

“It was really awesome when I visited,” Maher said. “The coach is a great guy. He is super laid back and down to earth.”

Elk Grove Hall of Fame coach Ken Grams watched Maher collect 54 hits last spring, the third most in an Elk Grove single season.

“There isn’t any part of the game that she doesn’t do at a high level,” Grams said following Maher’s junior campaign. “Becca has quick hands and good discipline at the plate. She is aggressive defensively with a strong arm, runs well and possesses an awareness of situations that sets her apart.”

Women’s volleyball

University of North Florida freshman Abby Fesl (Hersey) was among the seven student-athletes on the to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman team.

“I’m really happy that Abby and Morgan (Van Alstine), her teammate) were recognized by the other coaches in the league,” said coach Steve Loeswick. “They had a very solid year and we have very high expectations for them in the future. We are excited to return Osprey volleyball to a level where we are competing for championships.”

Fesl and Van Alstine become the fifth and sixth Ospreys to land spots on the Atlantic Sun’s All-Freshman Team, joining Heather Kendrick (2005), Nicole Baran (2009), Paige Pridgeon (2009) and Casey Giovanazzi (2011).

Fesl was one of four unanimous All-Freshman selections.

Serving as UNF’s primary setter for much of the season, she averaged 8.41 assists per set and totaled 791 assists in her rookie season. She recorded 13 double-doubles on the year, including 10 in conference play.

Men’s cross country

Butler sophomore Eric Peterson (Barrington) finished seventh in the 8,000 meters in a time of 24:21 at the Big East Conference Championships in Kenosha, Wis.

Peterson also finished 18th (all-regional medalist) in the 10,000 meters in a time of 30:48 at the Great Lakes Regionals in Madison, Wis.

Ÿ Middlebury Vermont junior Kevin Wood (Stevenson) finished tenth with a time of 24:56.9 in the New England D-III regionals in Gorham Maine.

Wood was the second runner for the Panthers who finished in second place to perennial powerhouse Williams College 77-78.

Wood received all-region honors.

Men’s basketball

Washington University (St. Louis) senior guard Alan Aboona (St. Viator) averaged 17 points a game in two Bears’ victories to win the Earlaustinjr.com St Louis-area male college athlete of the week.

Aboona had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a 90-60 victory over Rhoades College and 22 points and 5 assists in the Bears’ 91-64 victory over Hendrix College. He hit 8 of his 13 shots from the field, including four 3-pointers.

Aboona also earned the Robert L. Burnes Most Valuable Player Award of the 30th Annual Lopata Classic where he scored 19 points to lead No. 11 Washington to a 76-68 win over Whitman College at the WU Field House in St. Louis.

Aboona was joined on the all-tournament team by teammate Chris Klimek (Fremd), a senior forward who averaged 18.5 points and 8 assists in the tournament and was 2 points shy of the tournament record for assists. Klimek contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds against Whitman.

Women’s volleyball

Northern Illinois’ Jenna Radtke (Stevenson) of Buffalo Grove was selected for the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman team.

Radtke finished seventh in the MAC and led NIU with 0.95 blocks/set, recording seven matches with 1.0 blocks/set or more.

She was second on the team with a .277 attack percentage and recorded seven matches with a .300 or greater attack percentage, including three of .400 or more.

Radtke averaged 2.31 kills/set and a .305 attack percentage since Oct. 19.

Football

Whitewater senior linebacker Ryan Cortez (Palatine) was named to the Wisconsin & Illinois Athletic Conference second team. He is the fourth on the defense with 47 tackles.

Women’s soccer

Illinois State junior Gabbi McArtor of Palatine has created a fundraiser for those who are trying to recover from a typhoon.

McArtor’s parents John and Rosario grew up in the Philippines.

She and Illinois State graduate assistant coach Katie Baumgardner have organized a T-shirt drive, hoping to collect 1,000 shirts by Dec. 12.

You can read more about McArtor’s heartfelt efforts on GoRedbirds.com.

Chance to see Bears-Packers

The Illinois High School Association’s eight state championship football teams will get the opportunity to experience football’s greatest rivalry.

The Chicago Bears have invited the head coach and player representatives from each state championship team to Soldier Field to see the Bears take on the Green Bay Packers on December 29, 2013.

During halftime, all eight state title teams will be honored during a moment of on-field recognition. The ceremony will include state championship game highlights on the video boards, courtesy of Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

“The Chicago Bears are dedicated to supporting high school football throughout the state of Illinois, and we will be proud to recognize our 2013 football state champion teams during halftime of our game on December 29,” said Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey. “Winning a state title is a monumental accomplishment, and we look forward to congratulating each championship team.”

The IHSA football state title games will be played at Huskie Stadium on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb on Friday and Saturday.

The Class 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A games will be contested on Friday with the Class 5A, 6A, 7A and 8A games on Saturday.

Ÿ Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or FAX to (847) 427-1173.