McKendree sophomore tight end Jordan Sprycha, and Oak Lawn alum, finished third on the Bearcats in receiving touchdowns with five, and tied for sixth in both receptions (22) and receiving yards (193) for the 2022 season. Photo courtesy of McKendree Athletics
College Notebook: Ex-Spartan Sprycha balling with Bearcats
By Mike Walsh
Correspondent
The fall of 2022 was successful both in the classroom and on the football field for Jordan Sprycha.
In the classroom, the Oak Lawn graduate was one of eight McKendree University chosen to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
CSC Academic All-District Award nominees must be a starter or key reserve who has played in at least half of the team’s games, and holds a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade-point average
Sprycha maintains a 3.95 grade-point average and is majoring in mathematics.
The sophomore tight end appeared in 11 games this season for the Bearcats. He was third on the team in receiving touchdowns with five, and tied for sixth in both receptions (22) and receiving yards (193).
Mentioning Maeve
Mother McAuley graduate Maeve Sullivan was one of three Lakeland (Plymouth, Wis.) women’s volleyball players named to the 2022 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Team.
Sullivan, a junior defensive specialist/libero, earned All-NACC honors for the first time in her career. She was first in digs in the NACC with 534 and second in digs per set with 4.77 in 112 sets. Sullivan led the Muskies in service aces with 40.
Her total digs also are the fifth-most in a season in school history. She is the sixth player in program history to top 500 digs in a season.
It’s Krystal Clear
Freshman goalkeeper Krystal Rodriguez was one of three University of St. Francis (Joliet) women’s soccer players named to the 2022 All-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Team.
The Morton graduate was also lauded as the CCAC Freshman of the Year after leading the league in save percentage at .855. She also tied for the top spot in shutouts with seven.
The Bridgeview resident placed second in the CCAC in goals-against average (0.90), fourth in goals allowed (17) and fifth in saves (100) while playing in 19 matches. Nationally, Rodriguez was 14th in save percentage and tied for 19th in shutouts.
Pennies for Your Thoughts
Indiana Tech women’s volleyball player Nyiah Penny (De La Salle) was one of nine Warriors chosen to the 2022 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
Nina Penny — Nyiah’s sister and also a De La Salle grad — was selected to the 2022 Daktronics National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women’s Volleyball Scholar-Athletes Team.
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