The Sandburg men’s and women’s cross country teams hope to continue their run of success under a new coach.

The Chargers, led by Kim Schrader, will start their seasons at the Sauk Valley Early Season Opener at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Schrader was named the teams’ coach earlier this month following the July 2 passing of Rodney Blue, who’d led the Sandburg cross country program since 2015. Under Blue, the Chargers won five Region 4 championships and sent a team or individual to the NJCAA national meet in eight seasons.

“What I’ve said to the team is that we want to honor Coach Blue’s legacy by taking what he'd built into something great and making it even better,” Schrader said.

KEY RETURNERS

Men

Meshack Kimutai, sophomore

• Finished 144th at the NJCAA Division II Cross Country Championship and 14th in Region 4 last season, earning all-region honors.

Titus Kimutai, sophomore

• Placed 195th at nationals and 17th in Region 4 as a freshman.

Women

Sharon Yego, sophomore

• Placed 28th at the national meet last year.

• Won the Region 4 title, joining Nancy Jebet (2018) as the only Chargers women’s runners to take home the individual region crown.

Damaris Kimaiyo, sophomore

• Finished one spot behind Yego at the Region 4 and national meets during her freshman campaign, placing second and 29th, respectively.

KEY NEWCOMERS
Men

• Matthew Kiplagat, freshman
• Mathias Kigen, freshman

Women

• Joan Jepngetich, sophomore
• Marrion Jepchumba Kemboi, freshman

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?

Schrader: “I think the sky’s the limit for this group. This team is comprised of bright and talented runners who are passionate about their performance and working hard every day to improve.”

MEET TO WATCH

Bradley Intercollegiate, Sept. 20 at Detweiller Park in Peoria

Schrader: “Detweiller is a flat and fast course, and it’s a favorite with the runners.”

THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …

Schrader: “This will be a successful season if we take the men’s and women’s teams to the national championships and finish in the top 20 in the country.”

COACH RODNEY BLUE CHARITABLE RUN

Though not a part of the Chargers’ cross country schedule, Sandburg will host the Coach Rodney Blue Charitable Run at 8 a.m. Sept. 14 at the college. Runners and walkers of all ages and skill levels are invited to register by Sept. 6 for this non-competitive event. Registration is $30 (free for Sandburg students) and includes a commemorative T-shirt. Money raised will go toward the Coach Rodney Blue Cross Country Team Fund. For those who don’t want to participate in the run/walk but would still like to support the fund, donations can be made through the Sandburg Foundation.

Illini West Athletic Events 9/2 to 9/7

Monday, September 02

Depart

6:00PM Boys Junior Varsity Football Farmington High School Home
Tuesday, September 03

Depart

TBA Girls Varsity Volleyball

Lady Suns Classic @ Augusta
(9/3-9/7)

TBA Away

3:30PM Coed Varsity Golf

QND/Central/Pittsfield
(Westview @ Quincy)

1:45 PM Away

Wednesday, September 04

Depart

4:00PM Coed Varsity Golf West Hancock 3:00 PM Away
5:00PM Girls Freshman Volleyball Unity HS(Mendon) Home
6:00PM Girls Junior Varsity Volleyball Unity HS(Mendon) Home
Thursday, September 05

Depart

4:00PM Coed Varsity Golf Southeastern HS JV Match 2:45 PM Away
4:30PM Coed Varsity Cross Country Keokuk(Elks Golf Course) Away
6:00 PM Boys Freshman Football Brown County JH/HS 4:00 PM Away
Friday, September 06

Depart

7:00 PM Boys Varsity Football Elmwood High School Home
Saturday, September 07

Depart

Sandburg volleyball sets sights on conference 3-peat

After winning a second straight Arrowhead Conference championship last season, the Sandburg volleyball team aims for a three-peat this fall.

The Chargers finished 2023 with a 26-15 overall record and won the conference title with a 9-1 mark. It was the 10th Arrowhead championship in program history and fourth in the past six years.

Sandburg kicks off its 2024 schedule with six matches at the Opening Weekend Tournament from Friday-Sunday in Rockford. Sandburg’s first home match is 6 p.m. Aug. 29 vs. Illinois Central. Chargers home games can be seen live on the Sandburg YouTube channel.

KEY RETURNERS

Natalie Burden (New London, Iowa/New London), sophomore outside hitter

• All-Arrowhead Conference selection last season as a freshman.

• Led the Chargers with 332 kills, averaging 2.42 per set. Also totaled 41 aces.

• Chargers coach Todd Winkler: “Natalie’s worked so hard in the offseason to get stronger and faster, and it has paid off. She’s reached the next level and will make a big impact for us again this year.”

Madeline Mooney (Metamora, Ill./Metamora), sophomore libero

• All-Arrowhead Conference selection last season as a freshman.

• Played in all 41 matches and led Sandburg with 761 digs, which ranked sixth in NJCAA Division II. Her 5.55 digs per set were 17th nationally.

• Finished second on the team with 54 aces.

• Winkler: “Madeline is as good as always defensively, but she’s become a great leader on the court and is communicating to lead our defense.” 

Grace Vyhnanek (Colchester, Ill./West Prairie) sophomore setter

• All-Region 4 and All-Arrowhead Conference selection last season as a freshman.

• Racked up 1,179 assists last season, good for 13th in NJCAA Division II.

• Winkler: “I’m looking for Grace to read the court and run a very fast offense for us. Grace has been working hard in the offseason, and she’s great at finding the right hitter at the right time.”

KEY NEWCOMERS 

Taylor Wagner (Plymouth, Ill./Southeastern), sophomore outside hitter

• Transferred to Sandburg after playing in 2022 at Western Illinois, where she saw action in 15 matches.

• Winkler: “Taylor’s a powerful outside who will help us score offensively. She’s smart and has many shots she can use.”

Olivia Falborg (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport North), freshman middle hitter

Winkler: “Olivia’s will be explosive in the front row hitting and blocking for us. She gives us good depth and is a great pair to our other middle, Ayla Cannon.”

Abigail Shaffer (Carthage, Ill./Southeastern), freshman setter

Winkler: “Abigail’s effort on the court so far has been off the charts. She’s multi-talented and can play multiple positions, so I expect big things from her this season.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?

Winkler: “I think this team is capable of making a deep run in the postseason if we stay healthy.”

MATCHES TO WATCH

The Chargers will see plenty of action in the first 10 days of the season as they play 12 matches, including two against teams in the NJCAA Division II preseason rankings (Aug. 27 at No. 23 Sauk Valley and Aug. 29 vs. No. 6 Illinois Central).

THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …

Winkler: “This will be a successful season if we can slow down and enjoy the small things in this season. This team is close and focused. They just need to enjoy the memories.”

Sandburg women’s golf starts fall season

With an even split of returning and fresh talent, the Sandburg women’s golf team looks to earn its way back to the NJCAA Division II Championship this season.

The Chargers, who qualified for nationals in the 2022-23 season, won their second straight Region 4 title last fall before posting a third-place finish in the Central District tournament. Sandburg opens its 2024-25 season by hosting the Chargers Invite at noon Saturday at Lake Bracken.

KEY RETURNER

Ava Hackman (Oregon, Ill./Oregon), sophomore

• All-Region 4 recipient as a freshman.

• Earned second place in the Galesburg All-City Tournament this summer.

• Chargers coach Gail Hannam: “Ava has been playing all summer to prepare for the season. Her efforts and motivation show she can continue to succeed at the collegiate level.”

KEY NEWCOMER

Abigail Strode (Pekin, Ill./Pekin), freshman

• Helped the Pekin Dragons to their first region title in program history while placing seventh individually during her senior year.

• Helped lead Pekin to the 2023 Mid-Illini Conference title.

• Hannam: “Abigail comes to Sandburg as the most experienced golfer among our newcomers. She played quite a bit throughout the summer to improve her game.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?

Hannam: “I think our three sophomores (Hackman, Kylie Fahnestock and Lauren Minkel) are really going to step up this fall. They all look so much better in practice so far this year.”

TOURNAMENT TO WATCH

Millikin Dechert Classic, Sept. 27-28 at South Side Country Club in Decatur.

Hannam: “We struggled there last year, and the course is a good test of where our games are.”

SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT

In a change from previous seasons, the Chargers’ postseason tournaments will take play in the spring rather than during the fall schedule. The Region 4 tournament is slated for April 20-21.

THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …

Hannam: “This will be a good year if the sophomores lower their average from last year and the freshmen show improvement.”

Sandburg men’s soccer kicks off season Saturday on road

The Sandburg men’s soccer team hopes to put together another impressive season in coach Gerardo Ruvalcaba’s second year at the helm.

In Ruvalcaba’s first season on the sideline, the Chargers compiled a 12-3-3 record, earned the No. 2 seed in the Region 4, reached No. 20 in the NJCAA Division II rankings and advanced to the semifinals of the region tournament.

Sandburg begins its 2024 season at 2 p.m. Saturday at Iowa Central. The Chargers host Knox in a scrimmage at 7 p.m. Monday before playing their regular season home opener at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Rock Valley. Chargers home contests can be seen live on the Sandburg YouTube channel (weather permitting).

KEY RETURNERS

Felipe Endo Dos Santos, sophomore D

• Selected as one of three tri-captains.

• All-Region 4 Second Team selection as a freshman last season after scoring two goals and starting all 17 matches.

Gabriel Barros Lima, sophomore DB

• One of three tri-captains.

• All-Region 4 First Team as a freshman.

• Scored one goal and tallied a team-high seven assists last fall.

Mario Segura, sophomore C

• Also selected as a tri-captain.

• Tallied two goals and two assists in 16 contests (15 starts) as a freshman.

KEY NEWCOMERS

Luis Garcia, freshman F

Ruvalcaba: “Luis comes with a very good background, and he’s already set the bar very high for himself.”

Alberto Fernandez Do Carmo, freshman D

Ruvalcaba: “Alberto is coming to make a difference in the team. He’s determined to help us achieve our goal of reaching nationals.”

Enrico Augusto Rola, freshman F

Ruvalcaba: “Enrico wants to score important goals for us, achieve greatness academically and help us get to the national tournament.” 

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON?

Ruvalcaba: “My expectations this season are the same as last year. We want to finish in the top two of Region 4, win the Arrowhead Conference and get to nationals. I also want all of my players to graduate with a 3.0 or better!”

GAME TO WATCH

4 p.m. Aug. 28 vs. Rock Valley, which defeated the Chargers 1-0 in the semifinals of last year’s Region 4 tournament.

THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL SEASON IF …

Ruvalcaba: “This will be a successful season if we all can respect everyone's abilities and build up our chemistry. This is a team. I expect nothing but hunger to complete our goals. We’ll treat every game as if it was our last, game by game.”

ILLINI WEST  Freshman Volleyball vs Brown County 8/29

Due to low freshman numbers for Brown County, the freshman volleyball game on 8/29 has been cancelled.

The JV game will start at 5:00 followed by Varsity at 6:00.

Inaugural Coach Rodney Blue Charitable Run on Sept. 14

The Carl Sandburg College Foundation will host the inaugural Coach Rodney Blue Charitable Run at 8 a.m. Sept. 14 on the Galesburg campus to honor the late Chargers cross country coach and support his legacy for future cross country student-athletes at Sandburg.

Runners and walkers of all ages and skill levels are invited to register by Sept. 6 for this non-competitive event. Registration is $30 (free for Sandburg students) and includes a commemorative T-shirt. Money raised will go toward the Coach Rodney Blue Cross Country Team Fund.

An opening ceremony will take place at 8 a.m., and the 5K run/walk will start at 8:30 a.m. A 1K run/walk will begin at 8:35 a.m. The Sandburg Foundation will provide music and refreshments at the event.

Blue passed away in July at age 66 after leading Sandburg’s men’s and women’s cross country teams since 2015. He first joined as an assistant in 2011. Blue led the program to its most successful stretch ever, winning five Region 4 championships and sending a team or individual to the NJCAA national meet in each of the eight seasons it fielded a squad.

For those who don’t want to participate in the run/walk but would still like to support the Coach Rodney Blue Cross Country Team Fund, donations can be made through the Sandburg Foundation.

For more information, contact Eric Johnson, chief advancement officer for the Sandburg Foundation at ebjohnson@sandburg.edu.

To Register: https://sandburg.jotform.com/242237684953062

Schrader tabbed as new Sandburg cross country coach

GALESBURG — Sandburg has hired Kim Schrader, who has decades of experience in college athletics and a longtime familiarity with the Galesburg-area running community, to lead the Chargers’ men’s and women’s cross country teams.

Schrader was involved with organizing the former Run Galesburg Run half marathon/5K, and she spent its final three years as race director. Schrader has completed eight marathons, and she’s participated in St. Jude Runs since 2000, including the past 20 years as part of the Memphis-to-Peoria Run.

Schrader retired from Knox College in June following a 27-year career there as a staff member and coach. As Knox’s Title IX coordinator for the last 10 years, she had direct involvement with students from all backgrounds. Schrader also spent several years as the advisor for Knox’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Schrader’s time coaching at Knox included recruiting nationally and internationally as the Prairie Fire’s volleyball coach from 2007-11, men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach from 2022-23 and assistant women’s basketball coach from 2005-06.

A college athlete herself, Schrader was a three-year letterwinner in volleyball at Marquette.

“I love being involved with athletics, so I’m excited about this opportunity to coach elite student-athletes in a competitive environment,” Schrader said. “I’m grateful to (athletic director) Daniella Irle for putting her trust in me to build on the rich history of academic and athletic success by the Sandburg cross country program.”

Schrader takes over for Rodney Blue, who passed away July 2 after coaching the Chargers since 2015. She inherits a program that saw Sandburg’s men’s team win its third straight Region 4 title and finish 28th at the NJCAA Division II championships last fall. The women’s squad was led by Region 4 champion Sharon Yego and runner-up Damaris Kimaiyo, who each return this season after finishing 28th and 29th, respectively, at last year’s national meet.

“Kim has a long history in higher education as a student-athlete, coach and administrator,” Irle said. “As a former student-athlete and a multi-sport coach at the NCAA Division III level, she has a keen understanding of what it takes to be successful as a college athlete and student. She’ll be a great coach and mentor within our championship program.”

Both Chargers teams start their seasons with a dual meet Aug. 31 at Sauk Valley.