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Wednesday, June 11

Bronco results

[JUNE 11, 2003]  Images By Coop picked up a win Tuesday night over Mount Pulaski No. 1 by a score of 13-5.

Images was paced by the arm of Kody Swarts, who pitched all seven innings, giving up just six hits while striking out 16.

Images' offense was led by Matt Leslie, who was three-for-three with a triple and four RBIs, and Josh Oliver, who doubled and scored three times.

Paul Foley led Mount Pulaski, going four-for-four, including two triples and a home run.

[T. J. Swarts]

LCC announces new men's soccer coach

[JUNE 11, 2003]  John Searby, director of athletics at Lincoln Christian College, announced on Monday the hiring of Matt Harris as the men's soccer coach for the 2003 season. Harris is originally from Bloomington and attended Bloomington High School.

"We are very excited to have Matt Harris join our coaching staff," Searby said. "It is always great to have someone from the central Illinois area be involved with recruiting and coaching central Illinois athletes. He will be the perfect fit for LCC."

As a high school soccer athlete, Matt led his team in becoming Big 12 champions in 1996 and 1998 and was captain for the 1998 season. He also played soccer at LCC, where he was team captain in 2000 and 2001 and was selected as the team's most valuable player in 2001.

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"I see coaching as an opportunity to do campus ministry and stay involved with a sport that I've loved since childhood," says Harris about his opportunity to coach at LCC. "I want to develop players academically, physically and spiritually. Our goal is to play beyond our expected level and win a national championship."

Harris will begin his coaching position in August. The men's soccer season begins on Aug. 29 with a home game against regional opponent Grace Bible College.

[News release]

LCC announces new women's soccer coach

[JUNE 11, 2003]  John Searby, director of athletics at Lincoln Christian College in Lincoln, announced on Monday the hiring of Douglas Dowers as women's soccer coach for the 2003 season. Dowers was a student and soccer player at LCC from 1999 to 2002.

"LCC is really pleased to have a person the caliber of Doug Dowers join our staff," said Searby. "Not only was Doug an outstanding player, but he is a great Christian role model for our athletes. Doug has big things ahead of him at LCC."

Dowers is originally from Westville and attended First Baptist High School in Danville. He was the assists leader for Vermillion County in 1996. While in college, he was an academic all-American player. He has also spent three months in Africa and 10 months in Amsterdam coaching and playing.

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"My goals are to develop players, compete above our expected level and, above all, to win a national championship," says Dowers about the women's soccer program. "I chose to coach at LCC because I have an opportunity to discover with players their skills for life as well as skills for being successful on the field."

The women's soccer season begins on Sept. 1 with an away game at Hannibal-LaGrange College.

[News release]

O'Brien is Jill Hutchison Endowed Scholar
at Illinois State

[JUNE 11, 2003]  NORMAL -- During Jill Hutchison's distinguished basketball coaching career at Illinois State, she valued court leadership from her point guard as one of the cornerstones of team success. Current Redbird coach Robin Pingeton has a healthy respect for Hutchison's beliefs as well as her record, and that figured into the selection of point guard Taren O'Brien as the 2003 Jill Hutchison Endowed Scholar.

The Jill Hutchison Endowed Scholarship was established in 1999 with the retirement of the Redbird coaching legend who led Illinois State women's basketball teams to 461 wins in 28 seasons. Hutchison also is revered as a pioneer, not only for women's basketball, but for women in athletics.

"When I think about the words that describe coach Jill Hutchison and what she has done for this program, this university and this community, I think of words such as 'leader,' 'driven,' 'committed,' 'compassionate,' 'caring,' 'disciplined,'" said Pingeton. "Those are all words that could describe Taren O'Brien. There is no doubt in my mind that she is going to rally the troops and put this team on her shoulders. Taren is going to play an integral part in our turnaround."

O'Brien is the third player to be recognized as the Jill Hutchison scholar, joining former teammates Kristi Larson and Steph Reichle. She appreciates the honor of being identified with Hutchison.

"I feel very honored," said O'Brien. "She is such a respected person at Illinois State and in college basketball, it's really an honor to be selected for this. It's a challenge to live up to high standards, but I've been challenged ever since I came to Illinois State. I think this is another opportunity for me, and I appreciate being selected."

As a sophomore, the communications studies major joined Redbird legends Cathy Boswell and Jenny Schmidt as just the third player in Illinois State history to lead her team in scoring and assists in the same season. O'Brien again led the 'Birds in assists as a junior in 2002-03.

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The Jill Hutchison Endowed Scholarship is one of 12 endowed scholarships that are available to Illinois State student-athletes and funded by private donors. Six of the 12 are already fully funded, including the Jill Hutchison Endowed Scholarship.

For information about supporting Illinois State University endowments for student-athletes, call The Redbird Club office at (309) 438-3803.

Jill Hutchison Endowed Scholars

2003 -- Taren O'Brien

2002 -- Steph Reichle

2001 -- Kristi Larson

[Thomas Lamonica, Illinois State University]

Articles from the past week

[JUNE 9, 2003]  I don't know how many major league players read the LDN (but, who could blame 'em?), but it may be more than we originally thought. How's that? Well, take for instance, last week's column. In it, we discussed how the Cubs would need to hold their own with the D-Rays and the Yanks and that the Cardinals would really have to make some hay while playing at home. Both teams did just that. So, the LDN would like to thank whoever is responsible for getting that message out. It's always exciting when our local source intended primarily for area fans oozes into such places as professional locker rooms. I never thought we'd ever get that close to the action and have inside sources. Since we're so inside… does anybody have any stock market tips for us?

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The NHL playoffs continue to be one of the most exciting in years, as many fans, including those who are only casual hockey fans (if there is such a category), continue to root for the Hollywood fantasy team, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. We'd like to see 'em win, too. But could they possibly go into New Jersey and beat the Devils on their home ice? It will all come down to the goal tending.

[Jeff Mayfield]

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Announcements

Basketball camp dates announced

[MAY 14, 2003]  NORMAL -- First-year Illinois State head basketball coach Porter Moser has announced his camp dates for the summer of 2003.

Moser and his Redbird staff will host three camps this summer, with a pair of day camps and one team camp.

The first day camp runs June 16-19 and is for boys entering grades 1-12. The second day camp is open to boys entering grades 1-8 and is scheduled for July 15-18. The day camps are designed for commuters only and focus on the basic fundamentals of dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding, defense and game play.

The cost for either day camp is $170. Each camper receives a basketball and a T-shirt.

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The team camp, which caters to high school and junior high teams with boys entering grades 6-12, will be June 20-22. The camp format is round-robin and tournament team play.

The cost for the team camp is $170 for commuters and $205 for resident campers. Each will receive a camp T-shirt.

For more information about the basketball camps, call the Redbird men's basketball office at (309) 438-8681 or click here for an application form.

[Click here to download the Adobe Acrobat reader for the PDF file.]

[Todd Kober, director of media relations,
Illinois State University]

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