Dineen's recognition night scheduled Feb. 14 at regional

What are your plans for Valentine's Day?

I have a suggestion.

The past and present will come together on Thursday, Feb. 14, to honor one of the most distinguished coaching careers in Illinois high school basketball history, girls or boys.

This is big. Mark your calendar.

Tell your friends. Bring a friend.

Tom Dineen, head girls basketball coach at Buffalo Grove who has 670 career wins, will be the man in the spotlight for this Valentine's Day celebration.

The special tribute will take place on the night of the last girls basketball game actually hosted by Buffalo Grove in Dineen's career before his retirement in June.

Buffalo Grove will host the 7:30 p.m. regional championship game on Feb. 14, and the school plans to recognize Dineen's many contributions to Bison athletics.

An open-house reception will be held in the school's Pat Cassidy Community Room at 6 p.m. for friends, family, former players and well-wishers to congratulate Dineen for his 29 years of coaching.

Refreshments will be available, and memorabilia will be on display.

The IHSA 3-point contest will take place at 6:53 p.m., and then at 7:05 p.m. Dineen will be introduced to the crowd, along with his family and many former players.

The regional title game is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Following the game, complimentary cake and beverages will be provided in the gym, and anyone attending will have an opportunity to talk to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer.

Dineen's teams have won 17 Mid-Suburban League divisional titles, nine overall MSL titles, 24 regional titles, 10 sectional titles, eight supersectional titles and a Class AA state championship in 2000 with a 60-51 overtime win over Chicago Washington.

He coached his 600th victory on Jan. 20, 2006 and ranks No. 3 on the all-time list of coaching wins in Illinois girls basketball behind Dorothy Gaters and Dave Power.

For more information on the Dineen event, call (847) 718-4000 during school hours.

Basketball

Tamika and Tauja Catchings, who helped lead Stevenson to the Class AA state girls basketball championship in 1995, will return to the high school Wednesday as part of National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

Tauja also starred on Stevenson's 1996 state champion.

The sisters will be joined by Chicago Sky assistant coach Stephanie White to discuss the importance of hard work, school, dedication and overcoming obstacles to reach goals.

They will make their appearance at the high school from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Tamika plays for the Indiana Packers of the WNBA, and Tauja is the Chicago Sky radio color analyst. Tauja also helps run Catch the Stars Foundation, the Catchings' non-profit organization, which provides positive academic and sports-related programs for at-risk youth between the ages of 9-16.

• Jonny Reibel (Hoffman Estates) of No. 8 Rollins College (Winter Park, Fla.) collected 27 points (5 assists, 7 rebounds) against Florida Southern, 25 points against Eckerd College and 18 points and 14 rebounds against Barry University.

Rollins' Craig Reichel (Schaumburg) had 15 points against Eckerd that included three 3-pointers, plus 17 points and a career-best 9 assists against Barry.

• In College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play, Shana Lieberman (Hersey) of Carthage College ranks fifth in free-throw percentage (.787) and assists (3.29 per game).

• Justin Gray (Prospect) of Concordia University Chicago made the all-tournament team at the Concordia Invitational.

Wrestling

Kyle Katz (Maine West) of Elmhurst College posted a 4-0 record to win the 157-pound title at the North Central College Invitational. He beat No. 7-ranked Jesse Milks of Wisconsin-Platteville for the championship.

Charlie Curran (Hersey) earned a second-place finish at 141 pounds with a 3-1 record, falling to UW-Platteville's Vince Albert in the final.

• World Sport Chicago in alliance with USA Wrestling will present Chicago Cup 08 today at Northwestern University. Scheduled for McGaw Hall/Welsh-Ryan Arena, there will be demonstrations from 5:45-6:30 p.m. and the Chicago Cup at 7 p.m.

Some of the best wrestlers in the world, including Lindsey Durlacher (Buffalo Grove), will compete as the first-ever USA World Champion Greco team faces off against Bulgaria, and the U.S. Women's National Team challenges Poland in the Olympic weight categories.

Ticket prices are $5 for students and $10 for adults.

For information call (312) 616-5450 or visit www.worldsportchicago.org.

Track and field

Freshman Arthur Baptist (Prospect) of the University of Chicago won the mile run (4:27) at the University of Chicago Duals. Ten schools participated in the meet.

Soccer

Junior Kelly Mitchell (Barrington) of Millikin University won her third varsity letter and the Coaches Award for the 2007 season. She started all 19 games and had 8 goals and 7 assists.

Swimming

Bob Pellican (Hersey) of Carthage College finished third in both the 100 backstroke (55.20) and 200 backstroke (1:59.74) at the Grinnell College Invitational.

Diving

Illinois State senior Katie Janonis (Hersey) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Diver of the Week for the fifth time this season.

Football

Hoffman Estates Hawks Football and Cheer, a member of Pop Warner Football, will hold its first registration on Feb. 9 from 9 a.m.-noon at Eisenhower Junior High, 800 Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates.

The program is open to all Northwest suburban children who want to belong to Pop Warner. Tackle football and cheer both start at age 5 and go up to age 14.

All children are welcome regardless of skill or experience. Teams are divided based on size.

Teams can qualify for the national championship held at Disney World each December. Hoffman Estates is the only local program to offer regional and national play.

Online registration and financial assistance are available. For information, call (847) 534-6238 or go to www.hoffmanhawks.org.

Baseball

Blue Chips Sports and Entertainment will hold a spring training day for boys and girls ages 8 through 13 on Presidents' Day, Monday, Feb. 18, at the Sears Centre.

The camp will run from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Gene Belmonte, head baseball coach at St. Edward of Elgin, and other high school coaches will direct the training day.

In addition to skills, drills, fundamentals and competition, each player will get a hat, T-shirt and playbook of exercises and drills they can do at home to prepare for the summer season.

There will be a discount for teams that register together.

For information and application, call Bob Suvada at (847) 373-0300 or go to www.BlueChipSports.Net.