Sports Extras
During OPRF High School's annual Senior Athlete Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening, three coaches were inducted into the school's Coaches Hall of Fame. Girls track and field and cross-country coach Sarah McCabe, softball coach Mel Kolbusz and former wrestling coach Niall Collins were honored for their accomplishments.
McCabe, an OPRF graduate and former track star at the school, has coached cross-country for 20 years, making 14 appearances at the state meet and guiding five runners to All-State status (Colleen Bolin, 10th at state, Kristen Barnes, 11th, Elaine Zelby, 9th, Katherine Rack, 10th and 5th). In her 21 years coaching track and field - the last seven as head coach - McCabe has helped 10 teams capture sectional championships.
Kolbusz, currently in his 18th year as head coach of OPRF's softball program, has a career coaching record of 531-139, along with 15 West Suburban (Silver) Conference titles. In 2005, he guided the Huskies to a state championship.
Collins is also a member of the St. Patrick High School Hall of Fame, where he coached wrestling for a number of years before taking the position at OPRF. Collins was head wrestling coach at OPRF from 1994 to 2004.
During the 2008-09 season, Collins was selected as grand marshal of the IHSA State Meet.
Concordia coach receives Coach of the Year honor
Matt Beisel, head coach of Concordia University Chicago's track and field program, was named the 2010 Women's Coach of the Year for the outdoor season by the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC).
In March, Beisel was honored as Coach of the Year for the indoor season following the Cougar women's run to the conference title.
Beisel led the Cougar women to their highest team finish in the four-year history of the NAC Outdoor Championships May 8-9. The team finished third with 133 points, four behind Concordia University Wisconsin and one behind Aurora University.
Beisel's team was rich in depth and talent, led by Emily Ramey who was a repeat winner of the NAC's Freshman of the Meet honor. Seven women's records and 83 personal-best performances marked the Cougar women's 2010 outdoor season.
"This is a well-deserved honor for Matt, one which speaks loudly of his great efforts in recruiting and coaching his athletes," said Pete Gnan, Concordia University Chicago director of athletics. "We are very excited for Matt and the direction in which he is leading the track program."
