The newsletter is back on schedule, and we’re filled with coaching changes, commitments and recruiting.
I’m out of space, so let’s get to basketball!
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Coaching Moves
We’re tracking all the coaching changes across the state and have 47 openings tracked, with 14 filled thus far.
“Tim Meiss hangs up the whistle after 36 years as Eureka basketball coach.” (Randy Reinhardt/The Pantagraph)
“After 35 years, Rodney Kellar retiring as Ridgeview's boys basketball coach.” (Jim Benson/The Pantagraph)
Kim deMarigny retired after five seasons as Maine West head coach, winning a 2019 state titles, another state trophy in 2018 and four regionals. Dion Martorano broke the news for the Journal & Topics.
“Carrollton graduate Josh Krumwiede to replace Jeff Johnston at Athens.” (Bill Welt/State Register-Journal)
“Kody Kirkpatrick leaves Riverton after five seasons to become head boys basketball coach at Chatham Glenwood.” (Bill Welt/State Register-Journal)
End-of-Season Awards
Boys awards: four state POY, 16 regional POY and 22 conference POY.
Girls awards: two state POY, 18 regional POY and 21 conference POY.
News-Gazette’s boys all-state POY Max Christie and all-state team. (Scott Richey)
Greta Kampschroeder is the News-Gazette’s girls all-state POY Greta Kampschroeder and all-state team. (Scott Richey)
City/Suburban Hoops Report Player of the Year, All-State team revealed (Joe Henricksen/Sun-Times)
City/Suburban Hoops Report Coach of the Year: DePaul Prep’s Tom Kleinschmidt (Joe Henricksen/Sun-Times)
Commitments
Geneseo 2022 point guard Kammie Ludwig committed to Providence.
Evanston 2022 wing Lola Lesmond committed to Yale.
Peoria Notre Dame 2021 point guard Noah Reynolds committed to Wyoming. Dave Eminian wrote about the commitment for the Peoria Journal Star.
DePaul Prep 2021 center Brian Mathews committed to North Dakota after decommitting from UMass. The Grand Forks Herald wrote about his commitment.
Former Lincoln Park 2021 point guard Ismail Habib (transferred out of state prior to 2021 season) committed to Texas Rio Grande Valley after decommitting from Austin Peay.
Annawan 2020 point guard Julian Samuels committed to Illinois State after a prep year.
Loyola 2021 wing Jake Moser committed to Oklahoma as a preferred walk on.
Washington 2021 wing Devon Vanderheydt committed to D-II Lewis.
Evanston 2021 point guard Isaiah Holden committed to D-II Missouri Southern State.
St. Rita 2021 wing Elias Morris committed to D-III North Park.
Taylorville 2021 guard Wyatt Shirley committed to D-III Central College.
Effingham 2021 small forward Nathan Thompson committed to D-III Illinois College.
Pleasant Plains 2021 guard Justin Guernsey committed to D-III Illinois College.
Glenbard West 2021 power forward Danny Mulcare committed to D-III Edgewood.
Waubonsie Valley 2021 point guard Lauren McKnight committed to D-III North Park.
Huntley 2021 forward Kamsi Nwogu committed to D-III MIT.
Amboy 2021 Mallory Powers committed to D-III Illinois Wesleyan.
Loyola 2021 guard Scotty Dean committed to D-III Denison.
Richland County 2021 guard Braden Flanagan committed to D-III Elmhurst.
Curie 2021 small forward Reggie Ward committed to New Mexico Military Institute.
Richwoods 2021 point guard Isaiah Donnell committed to juco Southwestern Illinois College.
Hillcrest 2021 point guard Kenton Wright committed to Wabash Valley.
Evergreen Park 2021 guard Devin Green committed to East-West University.
List of 2022 girls college commitments, 2021 girls college commitments and 2021 boys college commitments.
Boys Recruiting Offers
Yorkville Christian 2022 SG Jaden Schutt: Oklahoma, Providence and Penn State.
Buffalo Grove 2022 SG Kam Craft: Texas Tech, Iowa and NC State.
Curie 2024 PG Carlos Harris: Eastern Illinois.
Brother Rice 2023 PG Ahmad Henderson: Northern Illinois.
Simeon 2023 PG Jalen Griffith: Northern Illinois.
Whitney Young 2023 PG Dalen Davis: South Carolina.
Oak Forest 2022 PF Robbie Avila: Appalachian State.
Tuscola 2022 PG Jalen Quinn: Eastern Illinois.
Simeon 2022 PG Jaylen Drane: Radford.
Oak Park-River Forest 2022 SG: Justin Mullins: Kent State.
Glenbrook South 2022 W Nick Martinelli: Navy.
Glenbard West 2022 SG Caden Pierce: Brown.
Lyons 2022 PG Tavari Johnson: Cleveland State.
Former Lake Forest Academy 2022 PF Danny Wolf: Rice.
Peoria Christian 2022 PF Wes Hunt: D-II Quincy.
Rockford East 2021 SG Biggie Luster: NAIA Clarke University.
Girls Recruiting News
Grayslake Central 2024 F Tahj Bloom: Syracuse, Louisville and Maryland. Bob Narang covered her recent recruiting news for the Lake County News-Sun.
Butler Prep 2024 PG Xamiya Walton: Xavier and Western Michigan.
Bolingbrook 2024 PG Angelina Smith: Syracuse.
Lincoln 2024 G Kloe Froebe: Illinois State.
Hersey 2023 G Katy Eidle: Minnesota, Michigan State, Marquette, Princeton and Providence.
Joliet Catholic 2023 G Jasmine Brown: Clemson, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Minnesota and Michigan State.
Libertyville 2023 G Emily Fisher: Minnesota, Central Michigan and Southern Methodist.
Oak Forest 2023 G Janae Kent: West Virginia, Maryland and Oakland.
Benet 2023 SG Lenee Beaumont: Providence, Illinois State and Green Bay.
Marian Catholic 2023 G Brianna Hill: Pittsburgh.
Homewood-Flossmoor 2023 F Alyssa Latham: Marquette.
Bolingbrook 2023 G Madisyn Saracco: Western Michigan.
Sycamore 2023 W Evyn Carrier: Western Michigan.
Edwardsville 2022 W Sydney Harris: Murray State and Wichita State.
Thornwood 2022 PG Nayo Lear: Oklahoma.
Saint Viator 2022 G Joy Bergstrom: Southern Methodist.
Stevenson 2022 PG Simone Sawyer: Evansville.
St. Ignatius 2021 PF/C Rhema Ogele: Portland State.
St. Joseph-Ogden 2022 C Taylor Wells: D-III Wisconsin Lutheran.
Lake Park 2022 G Sara Balli: D-III Wisconsin Lutheran.
Providence Catholic 2022 PG Kelly Knight: D-III Carroll.
Loyola 2022 G Kaylee Travlos: D-III Dubuque.
Barrington 2022 F Laura Mahlum: D-III Benedictine.
Niles North 2022 G Aliyah Kvamme: D-III Dubuque.
Butler College Prep 2022 point guard Camille Jackson announced her top 9: Penn State, DePaul, Missouri, Louisville, UIC, Mississippi State, Illinois, Arizona State and Marquette.
Apollo conference underclassmen to watch. (Kaleb Carter/Illinois-Basketball.com)
Big Northern underclassmen to watch (Kaleb Carter)
Illinois Players in College
At least 58 Division I men’s players from Illinois entered the transfer portal; 27 have now committed to a new school, including Illinois freshman Adam Miller committing to LSU.
At least 32 D-I women’s players from Illinois entered the transfer portal; 17 have committed to a new school, including Ohio State junior Aaliyah Patty committing to Texas A&M.
Simeon graduate Kejuan Clements committed to Eastern Illinois after playing at Triton College.
“‘It just happened to be that it was Iowa:’ Sycamore grad Kylie Feuerbach transfers from Iowa State to Hawkeyes.” (Eddie Carifio/Daily Chronicle)
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