Fremd's Klaczek won't have to change colors at UAB
Wheeling graduate Deanna Kuzmanic finished her career for Alabama-Birmingham's women's basketball team with 1,536 points, the 11th most in program history.
Prospect graduate Emily Frasco is currently a sophomore on the Blazers' roster.
The Mid-Suburban League pipeline to Alabama-Birmingham is hardly dry.
Emily Klaczek will join the program for the 2020-21 season.
The Blazers' green and gold colors are the same Klaczek has worn at Fremd the last four years, twice as the Mid-Suburban League Player of the Year.
Playing Division I basketball has been a goal of Klaczek's for a long time.
"Probably since fourth or fifth grade," she said. "I started playing first grade with the Inverness Park District, then did feeder, AAU and high school.
"My parents got me involved. They were like let's try soccer, basketball, softball and see what you like. Basketball was the one that really stuck."
It didn't hurt that she has brothers.
"My biggest inspirations were my parents and my brothers, especially my older brother Jack," Emily said. "He has always been the one to challenge me when it came to the game of basketball. I'd always play with him in the driveway.
"He stopped playing in high school but he still wanted to compete with me and get me better."
It sure worked because Klaczek became one of the top players in the area.
Even as a sophomore, Fremd coach Dave Yates had Klaczek playing a key role as a main scorer (14.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists) for a young team.
"By the time I got to high school, basketball really sparked my interest and I came to love the game," Klaczek said. "Let me say, being able to go on to play D-I basketball is a dream come true. A lot of credit goes to coach Yates and my AAU coach Matt Truding."
Klaczek made her official visit to Birmingham last August.
"A position opened up and they took a chance on me," Klaczek said. "They showed their interest in me and I love the school."
Klaczek says her favorite part of the game is how it can change so quickly.
"I like how a big 3-pointer or 3-point play can change the momentum," she said. "You can make a big play and it changes the game."
Klaczek is uncertain what she will study in college.
"I could see myself coaching one day," she said. "I'm just excited for the future and to be a Blazer. I really like the coaching staff and the players there. I'm going to be pretty far from home so that was important to me. I wanted girls who were just like me and have the same interests - people I could see myself hanging out with for four years.
"The coaching staff is awesome and I'm excited to play for them."
Women's basketball
Duke graduate student Haley Gorecki (Fremd) led the Blue Devils with 17 points and 5 rebounds in 60-58 loss to Wake Forest at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
• If you saw the 5-foot-4 Kelly Weyhrich play at Hersey, you knew her stature never prevented her from getting key rebounds.
That hasn't changed in college.
The Elmhurst College guard had 5 rebounds along with 6 assists, 2 steals and 4 points in the Bluejays' 73-42 nonconference win over visiting Beloit.
Also, Bluejays freshman guard Lily Greifenstein (Rolling Meadows) chipped in 7 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals.
• Carthage senior forward Maggie Berigan (Hersey) had 10 points in a 41-32 victory over Adrian to close out the Basketball Destinations Music City Classic.
Men's basketball
Bucknell junior guard Jimmy Sotos (Conant) scored 16 points and was 3 of 6 from 3-point range in a 67-65 victory over visiting Army West Point in the Patriot League opener.
Rugby
Signup day for the Arlington Stallions Rugby Club (five-time Illinois state champs) for the spring season will take place at the Camelot Park Community Center on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Camelot Park is at 1005 E. Suffield in Arlington Heights.
The first winter/indoor practice session is on Sunday, Jan. 12 at the Mt. Prospect RecPlex from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The club offers competitive sides for fifth through 12th grade.
• Former Stallions player Vince Carso (Hersey, 2019), now playing rugby at Ohio State, was recently named to the Big-Ten All-Conference first team.
For more information about this club, visit their website at www.arlingtonstallionsrugby.com.
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