College Achievers: Another big year in the pool for Mollin
Nina Mollin, a six-time all-state swimmer and two-time runner-up in the 200-yard individual medley at Schaumburg High School, continued her successful swims this season at the University of Toronto.
To conclude her junior season, Mollin, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, was named an Ontario University Athletics athlete of the week for her achievements at the U Sports Swimming National Championships, Canada’s version of the NCAA finals.
The OUA 2025 women’s swimmer of the year and the OUA “rookie of the year” in 2023, Mollin won the U Sports National women’s 100-meter butterfly, the 200 butterfly, and the 200 individual medley. She joined her teammates to place third in the 400 medley relay, and finished sixth in the 200 breaststroke.
Through three seasons, Mollin has won 12 events in the OUA provincial competition and seven events at the U Sports National Championships.
Eagle flies north
Last week the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Aurora University offensive lineman Matt Kickel (Benet). The 2024 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference offensive lineman of the year, the 6-foot-4, 323-pounder earned five All-American honors in his time at Aurora. Winnipeg reached the Grey Cup in 2024 and has won the CFL championship 12 times.
Blue chippers
Some of the same men’s hockey players mentioned last week as helping their teams reach the NCAA’s “Frozen Four” were among the CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association All-Americans named Friday.
Hailing from North Barrington, Boston University freshman defenseman Cole Hutson earned First Team East. Western Michigan University beat Hutson’s Terriers 6-2 on Saturday in the NCAA Division I championship game in St. Louis.
Denver senior forward Jack Devine (Glencoe) was First Team West, while Boston College sophomore forward Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale), Michigan State junior defenseman Matt Basgall (Lake Forest) and Minnesota State sophomore goalie Alex Tracy (Chicago) made second teams. All told, five Illinoisans out of 20 selected.
Landmarks
Earlier this month at the Florida Relays, University of Iowa junior Ryan Schreiner (Wheaton North) ran the 800 meters in 1 minutes, 48.16 seconds. That got him into the Hawkeyes top 10 in that event, at No. 10. He’s also on the board with Iowa’s No. 5 indoor 800 time and as part of a No. 4 indoor distance medley relay and a No. 6 outdoor 3200 relay.
Another former Wheaton North Falcon, Ellie Hubbard, helped complete a Wisconsin sweep of a softball doubleheader against St. Thomas in a big way. With her team trailing 5-2 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and the bases loaded, Hubbard drove a pitch over the center field wall for her first home run of the season, and her first college grand slam.
At a track meet at Washington University in St. Louis, DePauw University sophomore Shelby Stall (Lakes) ran the 400-meter dash in 56.66 seconds to break her own program record. (She also owns the school 200-meter mark.) Afterward Stall was named a North Coast Athletic Conference track and field athlete of the week. At that same meet in St. Louis, junior Tessa Kochert (Glenbard West) set the Tigers’ triple-jump record at 37 feet, 6 inches.
Like Schreiner, Illinois State junior Yusuf Baig (Burlington Central) ran his way into his school’s top 10 at No. 10. The health care leadership major ran the 1500 at Ole Miss’ Joe Walker Invite in 3 minutes, 47.12 seconds. Also in that race: Vanderbilt’s Michael Skora (Hinsdale Central), whom we’ve noted previously, ran it in 3:44.16.
Program honor
The University of Northern Iowa, which first offered women’s soccer in 2000, recently announced its 25th anniversary team. The 15-player group included Kiki (McClellan) Hazleton (Waubonsie Valley). She played on consecutive Warriors Class AA state champions in 2006-07 before patrolling the midfield at Northern Iowa from 2009-12. Hazleton is on the Panthers’ career list for games played and shots and was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference scholar-athlete.