Thursday, December 19

Sports

Stories from the sports community at McKendree Unviersity.

Senior Spotlight: Kiley Hasenfratz
Profiles, Sports

Senior Spotlight: Kiley Hasenfratz

Written by Megan Melone Photography by McKendree Athletics and Kiley Hasenfratz Kiley Hasenfratz is a senior exercise science major from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Kiley is a forward on the McKendree women’s hockey team. I interviewed Kiley to find out more about her time at McKendree: What is your major? HASENFRATZ: I’m an exercise science major. I got really interested in the body one year, after getting hurt a bunch while playing hockey. So, I initially taught myself how to take care of myself after a game and recover properly, and that just made me really interested in the body, and I thought like you know what? This would be a really good profession to take over and help other people when they can't. Kiley Hasenfratz Why did you decide to study abroad? HASENFRATZ:...
Hockey and Golf Start Season, Football and Soccer Win
Sports

Hockey and Golf Start Season, Football and Soccer Win

Written by Megan Melone Photography and Scores from McKendree Athletics It was another busy week for McKendree Athletics as teams brought home victories and more Bearcats began their seasons. Men's Hockey The McKendree men’s hockey team opened their 2024-25 season at Maryville University. Goalkeeper Dyllan Dallaire greatly supported the team, blocking 42 of 46 shots by Maryville. Still, McKendree lost the match with a score of 4-0. The team played again on the 13th against the University of Illinois and saw a loss of 3-7. But the Bearcats will return on the ice on September 20th against Missouri State University in Springfield.  Goalkeeper Dyllan Dallaire blocked 42 of Maryville's shots. Women's Golf Women's golf opened their season this past week. The McKendree wo...
Recap of McKendree Athletics’ Opening Matches
Sports

Recap of McKendree Athletics’ Opening Matches

By Megan Melone Photography by McKendree Athletics Scores retrieved from McKendree Athletics It was a busy weekend for McKendree Athletics as several teams began their 2024 season! Women's Soccer Women’s soccer opened their season with a win against the University of Alabama Huntsville at Charger Park with a goal by Lena Higgins, a senior forward for McKendree. Maicy Mueller, a junior goalkeeper, made several saves throughout the game defending McKendree’s goal, aiding the win and making for a great debut, as it was her very first collegiate match. The final score was 1-0, adding another notch to McKendree’s winning history against Alabama Huntsville: 3-0-0. The women’s soccer team also won again against Montevallo University with a final score of 3-2.  Lena Higgins sco...
Senior Spotlight: Isabella Barbaglia
Profiles, Sports

Senior Spotlight: Isabella Barbaglia

By Megan Melone, Writer Photography via Bella Barbaglia Isabella Barbaglia is a senior history major. She is the president of the McKendree History Club, plays on the McKendree women’s golf team, and is a member of both, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Alpha Theta honor societies.   I interviewed Bella about her time here at McKendree and her after-school plans:  Where are you from? BARBAGLIA: I am from St. Louis, Florissant Area, which is like North St. Louis.  Why did you decide to come to McKendree? BARBAGLIA: I went to Rockhurst in Kansas City, and after my freshman year I decided I didn’t like it. I wanted somewhere closer to home and I was looking at small schools. When I visited McKendree, I loved the campus and had the opportunity to play golf, so I decided to com...
Senior Spotlight: Martina Hicks
Profiles, Sports

Senior Spotlight: Martina Hicks

By Megan Melone, Writer Photography from McKendree Athletics Martina Hicks is a senior biopsychology major with a minor in biology. Martina is the 2022-23 Academic All-GLVC and a recipient of the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award, as well as the secretary for SAAC (Student Athletic Advisory Committee).  I interviewed Martina about her time at McKendree and her plans for the future:  Where are you from?  HICKS: I am from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho originally. But the last four years I’ve lived in Hamilton, Montana.  Why did you decide to come to McKendree?  HICKS: My senior year was COVID. I originally was on the brink of playing golf in college. In Idaho, golf is a spring sport, so I didn’t get a spring season, and that made me push towards looking at schools. McKendree...
Women’s Soccer: Queens of the GLVC
Sports

Women’s Soccer: Queens of the GLVC

By Elma Oijens Sjoelin, Sports Writer Title photo by Pat Knapinski Two weeks ago, the McKendree women’s soccer team made their way to Peoria, Illinois to take care of business. The business was the GLVC Championship, and they took care of it! Dubbed the queens of the GLVC, the team flew to Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan last week to play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Being a part of the team, I have the privilege to share these experiences with my teammates, and winning the GLVC Championship was something truly unforgettable. We drove up to Peoria, Illinois to partake in the championship, which this year was played on neutral ground. After a three-hour long bus ride, we arrived at Corwin Clatt Stadium in East Peoria, Illinois and did a training s...
Women’s Volleyball: A Team That Knows How to Make Their Mark
Sports

Women’s Volleyball: A Team That Knows How to Make Their Mark

By Elma Oijens Sjoelin, Sports Writer Title photo retrieved from McKendree Volleyball Instagram Fall sports are reaching the end of their respective seasons, so I wanted to put a spotlight on the women’s volleyball team. The team is very busy this time of the year, especially since they travel a lot. I was not sure if any of the players would have time for an interview, considering that they are known around campus to excel in their academics as well. I figured that they do not have much time between studying, practices, and classes, so I was beyond grateful when junior Amber Williams agreed to do an interview and share some of her thoughts on the team, their season, and how she and her teammates managed to balance and come through on the court as well as in the classroom. Willia...
Women’s Bowling: New Head Coach Shawn Bibee Returns to Bearcat Country  
Sports

Women’s Bowling: New Head Coach Shawn Bibee Returns to Bearcat Country  

By: Elma Oijens Sjoelin, sports writer Photos collected from 2023-24 Women's Bowling Roster (https://mckbearcats.com/sports/womens-bowling/roster) As the fall semester has kicked off, several athletic programs at McKendree are mobilizing toward successful pre- and regular seasons. A new school year also presents new beginnings, opportunities, and changes. For one program, such changes include a new coaching staff. Last year, the women’s bowling program placed 4th in the NCAA Championships and earned the ITC Championship Title concluding the 2022-23 season earlier this year. The program has a history of winning, and the players are known to excel inside the classroom and on the lanes, earning both athletic and academic titles and awards. They now face new challenges and opportun...
<strong>Set Yourself Up for Success: How Student-Athletes at McKendree Prepare for Competition</strong>
Sports

Set Yourself Up for Success: How Student-Athletes at McKendree Prepare for Competition

By: Elma Oijens Sjoelin It was not until college that I started reflecting on how I prepare for my soccer games. I never really had a standard routine, but when I came to McKendree, I met other student-athletes who knew exactly what they needed to do to prepare for competitions. I found it interesting how different everyone’s routines were, and after listening to and observing what my friends did to prepare for games, I was inspired to create a routine for myself. I quickly realized that what I did before my soccer games affected my performance, but I also realized that what worked for others did not always do the trick for me. I had to try different things and constantly change my game day routine to find out what worked for me. My game day routine is still a work in progress. To find...
Women’s Bowling: Defending the National Title
Sports

Women’s Bowling: Defending the National Title

By: Elma Oijens Sjoelin Photos provided by Anna Warkel By far one of the most successful athletic programs at McKendree University is the women’s bowling team. Last year, they won the NCAA bowling championship, and with a winning history behind them, the women’s bowling team is now aiming to defend their national title. A history of winning comes with high expectations and a lot of pressure, and when you are number one, others are hungry to knock you off the podium. In fact, on February 10th, the NTCA (National Tenpin Coaches Association) ranked the McKendree women’s bowling program as number one in the nation on their National Coaches Poll.  Although the bowling team is busy managing academics and bowling this time of the year, Anna Warkel, a second-year student who com...