Elk Grove’s Danek makes grade with Villanova

With a 5.2 grade point average and a score of 30 on her ACT, Carly Danek is surely one of the top students in the Northwest suburbs.

But the Elk Grove senior also excels outside the classroom.

Specifically, on the softball diamond.

And those skills did not go unnoticed by the Villanova softball coaching staff.

The Elk Grove third baseman has been accepted by the Pennsylvania college as a walk-on recruit for its Division I softball program.

Danek visited the campus last fall and liked what she saw. In early March, she made her decision.

“When I visited, I thought it was absolutely beautiful there,” Danek said. “I got the feeling it was a perfect fit right away.”

Most importantly, Danek wanted to go to Villanova to study mechanical engineering.

When she learned they were interested in her as a softball player, too, that was just a bonus.

“I really valued the fact that the school ranks so high in engineering,” she said. “That’s what I really wanted to study. I was more interested in the school for academics so the athletics is just like a bonus because I really liked the coaching staff and the chemistry the coaches have with the players.”

Danek is used to chemistry on a softball team. Hall of Fame Grenadiers coach Ken Grams directs one of the most successful programs in the state.

“Carly is really passionate about the sport,” he said. “She really wants to make improvements and always makes strides to do that.”

Danek played on the junior varsity team as a sophomore and then started in nearly half of the Grens’ games last season.

Grams said the senior third baseman and cleanup hitter has made “remarkable” strides the last year and a half on her own.

“She wanted to put the time in it and went out and played a high level of softball all summer and fall, and it has paid off,” Grams said. “Carly is one of our most reliable hitters. It is really a pleasure to see someone with such determination to kick it up a level and Carly has done it.”

Danek is batting around .400 range and is among the team leaders in RBI for the 11-3 Grens.

Danek also excelled in math and science, thus she plans to study mechanical engineering.

“I like trying to figure out how things work and solving things with logic,” she said. “It just seemed to be a major for me that fit. It kind of makes you be creative and come up with the right answers.”

Danek, a National Honor Society member, is also involved with the principal’s advisory program and has given her time to the school’s tutoring program.

She has been playing softball nearly all her life, starting with T-ball and then beginning travel softball at age 8.

“I just love the team atmosphere and being with my teammates,” Danek said. “It’s a sport where you have the opportunity for individual success but you also get to excel in a team environment.”

Danek was playing with her Illinois Bash team when she was spotted by Villanova coaches.

“Coach (Jim) Goranson (of the Bash) had a connection with the Villanova coach and he definitely helped me with the recruiting process,” Danek said. “And I give a lot of thanks to Dani (Goranson, Grens pitcher) who is one of my best friends. She has helped inspire me on and off the field and helped get me where I am, along with my parents (Kevin and Arlene).”

And when she gets to Villanova, chances are she will make a nice transition from a Grenadier to a Wildcat.

“She is a bright young lady and a very determined young lady,” Grams said. “So I am happy to see something pay off for her because she has earned it.”

Men’s track and field

Several local athletes ran personal or seasonal best at the 12-team Chicagoland Outdoor Championships at the University of Chicago.

Harper sophomore Andre Barnes (Prospect) finished first in the 400 meters (48.41) and second in the 200 meters (22.42) and sophomore Pablo Ramirez (Conant) finished third in the 10,000 (30:54.18).

Harper sophomore Ryan Wojdyla (Palatine) finished eighth in the 10,000 meters (32.44.44), sophomore Chris Spudik (Prospect) finished ninth in the 5,000 (15:31.39) and freshman Troy Cunningham (Conant) finished 19th in the 1,500 (4:10.95).

North Central freshman Travis Morrison (Schaumburg) finished second in the 5,000 (15:07.38), sophomore Dionte Hackler (Schaumburg) finished seventh in the 400 (49.18) and sophomore Marlen Hamilton (Hoffman Estates) finished 11th in the 800 (1:55.48).

Illinois-Chicago sophomore Angelos Karkalis (Rolling Meadows) finished third in the 800 (1:53.48) and his sophomore brother Photis Karkalis (Rolling Meadows) took third in the 1,500 (3:58.66).

Lewis senior Ross Goers (Hoffman Estates) finished 11th in the 5,000 (15:36.84).

Women’s track and field

Augustana senior Amber Gruber (Rolling Meadows) placed fifth in the hammer

throw (133 feet, 2 inches) at the Norse Relays in Decorah, Iowa.

Augustana freshman Veronica Bertellotti (Prospect) was sixth in the triple jump (30-6¼).

Augustana scored 213.50 points to defeat runner-up Luther (173.50) by 40 points in the seven-team meet.

Basketball

Harper freshman Connor Miklasz (Hersey) was selected to the second team of NJCAA All-Region IV team.

Miklasz averaged 9.5 points, 5 assists and was a 71 percent free-throw shooter as he played in all 33 games for the Hawks.

The first-year player had his best game against Madison College on Feb. 22 when he tallied a career-high 32 points along with 10 assists. Miklasz hit eight 3-pointers and was 12-of-16 from the field in that game.

“He was an outstanding player for us,” said Harper coach Tony Amarino. “He came in from the start as a true freshman and was our point guard every single game. He handled it and fit in like he’s been here forever.

“He’s going to get a lot better. I think once he realizes that he needs to be a good student of the game, he’s going to be even better. It’s a long season, and he handled it well.”

College intramurals

Former Buffalo Grove softball standout Katie Lee was named a co all-tourney MVP for the Marquette women’s basketball team which won the 2012 American Collegiate Intramural Sports regional championship at Dayton.

The Gold team went through pool play with wins over Louisville (44-29) and Dayton (32-31).

Marquette then defeated Kentucky 55-27 and Central Indiana Ivy Tech 44-33 to advance to the championship game where it topped Illinois State 41-33.

Lacrosse

Rutgers freshman Brian Goss (St. Viator) was named to the Big East Conference Weekly Honor Roll.

Goss scored 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist) during the week.

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