BCR College Update: Brant Vanaman named First Team D2CCA All-Midwest Region

The hits keep coming for former Hall Red Devil Brant Vanaman.

The University of Illinois-Springfield redshirt junior outfielder was named as First Team D2CCA All-Midwest Region. He was previously named First Team All-GLVC and Second Team NCBWA All-Region.

Vanaman will now be up for D2CCA’s national ballot for All-America consideration.

In 43 starts, Vanaman batted .395 with 49 RBIs, 47 runs, 10 home runs, and a team-leading four triples. Vanaman hit for the first ever cycle in team history in the home opener, going 4-for-5 with 7 RBIs in a 16-5 win over Davenport University.

Vanaman, who was a key member of Hall’s 2018 state champions and two-time BCR Player of the Year, has climbed into several career categories in the UIS baseball record books.

He ranks fourth all-time in runs scored, fifth in total hits, and 10th in batting average. His .395 batting average is the seventh-best single-season average in program history while his on-base percentage and slugging percentage are also top-10 single-season marks.

Going national

Three former Hall Red Devils are taking part in their team’s national tournament runs.

Payton Plym, a 2021 Hall graduate, and the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds are heading back to the NCAA Division II Championship in Cary, N.C.

The Greyhounds swept Saginaw Valley State in two-straight games to repeat as NCAA Midwest Regional Champions once again. The No. 7-seeded Greyhounds (41-19) open the World Series on Sunday against No. 2 Tampa.

Plym leads the UIndy pitching staff in victories with a 7-0 record in 18 relief appearances, sporting a 5.60 ERA with 26 strikeouts and two saves.

Chance Resetich went 1 for 2 with two runs for Southeast Missouri State in Saturday’s 9-6 win over Morehead State in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title game. The Redhawks (34-25) will face No. 5 seed and regional host Arkansas in the NCAA Regional opener at 2 p.m. Friday in Fayetteville, Ark.

Resetich made 24 starts for the Redhawks, batting .242 with five doubles, a homer, 16 runs scored and eight RBIs.

Cam McDonald and the University of Illinois were selected to the NCAA Tournament. The Big Ten champion Fighting Illini (34-19) take the No. 3 seed against No. 2 seed Indiana State (42-13) at 6 p.m. Friday in Lexington, Kent.

McDonald, another key member of Hall’s 2018 state champions and former Illini standout, serves as Player Development, working with hitters and outfielders. He’ll be the hitting coach for the Rockford Rivets this summer.

Softball

IVCC sophomore pitcher Katie Bates of Princeton was named to the All-Arrowhead Conference softball team.

In conference play, Bates hit .563 with 10 doubles, 19 RBIs and 14 runs scored while going 7-1 with a 2.01 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings in the circle.

Also contributing to IVCC’s 13-3 record to win the Arrowhead Conference championship were classmates Libby Boyles and Taylor Wetsel of Princeton.

Longtime coach Cory Tomasson, who won his sixth Arrowhead Conference championship in his 25th year, was voted as Coach of the Year.

Track & field

Madison Morrow, a senior from Walnut, received the coveted varsity “A” letter blanket with the Augustana College track & field team. To earn this letter blanket, an athlete must compete in their sport for four years and earn at least three varsity letters.

She earned CCIW All-Conference honors in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles.

At Bureau Valley, Morrow was a member of two state-medaling winning relays as a junior for the Storm.

Academic All-Conference

Bates and Boyles were among five multi-sport IVCC athletes to earn Arrowhead Conference academic recognition.

Wetsel earned academic all-conference in softball this spring.

To earn Arrowhead Conference academic recognition, athletes must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher and have passed at least 12 hours each semester of the academic year.