Local Notes: Cassie Dumoulin lands Lea Plarski award
From Staff Reports July 10, 2012 5:50PM
Cassie Dumoulin is the winner of the 2012 National Junior College Athletic Association’s Lea Plarski Award after wrapping up a stellar two-year run with the Elgin Community College women's basketball team. | Submitted Photo
Updated: August 12, 2012 6:38AM
Former Elgin Community College women’s basketball standout Cassie Dumoulin is the 2012 recipient of the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Lea Plarski Award, named after the association’s first female president.
The annual honor is given to a student-athlete who best exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership, community service, academic excellence, athletic ability, and achievements — core values that are promoted by the NJCAA.
“It means a great deal to me,” said Dumoulin, a Hampshire graduate. “It’s a very elite award and it’s a testament to all the people who have made an impact in my life and made me who I am today. I’m completely honored to win an award named after a woman that has done so much for athletics and made it possible for me to continue my athletic career.”
Dumoulin led the Spartans in scoring during the past two seasons. As a freshman, she ranked fourth in Division II in scoring with 22.9 points per game and was an NJCAA third team All-American selection. During her sophomore year, Dumoulin ranked fifth in Division II in scoring with 22.0 points per game and was a NJCAA second team All-America.
The two-time Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year ultimately finished her ECC career with 1,393 points — the only ECC basketball player, male or female, to score 1,000 career in the college’s history.
“This is as proud as I’ve been as a head coach for any player,” said ECC women’s coach Jerry McLaughlin. “This is special because it’s an award that embodies academic achievement, athletic achievement, volunteer work, community service and leadership on and off the floor.”
Off the court, Dumoulin was able to translate her success to the classroom where she earned a 4.0 grade-point average and membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She also found time between her academic and athletic commitments to give back to the community, being involved in several community service projects like the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, Feed My Starving Children, and the basketball team’s fundraiser for The V Foundation.
“It is so important to give back to your community,” says Dumoulin, who will attend the University of Illinois this fall. “Everyone is given gifts and talents that you’re supposed to use and not just for yourself, but also to help others. There are certain things that I am able to do and it’s only right for me to share them with others.”
Dumoulin was recognized at an ECC meeting Tuesday night, during which she and McLaughlin reflected on the award and Dumoulin’s two successful years at the school.
“I came in as a senior (from Hampshire) thinking this was a stepping stione to a bigger dream, and this was more than a stepping stone,” Dumoulin said. “It was a huge thing in my life.”
Added McLaughlin: “ECC is a family. Cassie represents everything we are today.”
—Emily McFarlan contributed
Elgin Post 57 finishes 7th at Moline Tournament
Elgin Post 57 went 3-2 at last weekend’s Moline Tournament, taking seventh place out of 20 teams.
Post 57 opened with three straight wins, notching a 10-4 triumph against Kenosha Post 21, a 1-0 win against the Western Illinois Hawks and a 2-1 victory against East Moline. Post 57 then finished pool play with an 8-3 loss to Northbrook Post 791 before losing 4-0 against Omaha Nebraska Post 374.
The highlight of the tournament for Post 57 came when Tyler Rydin tossed a no-hitter in the victory against the Western Illinois Hawks. Rydin (2-2) struck out two and walked one in the complete-game gem.
Andrew Weedman (1-0) and Tyler Crater (1-0) also picked up pitching wins during the tournament while Chris Bingham (3-2) and David Palmer (2-2) were tagged with losses.
Luke Duffy had a productive tournament at the plate for Post 57, going 6-for-13 with two doubles. Other offensive leaders included Weedman (3-for-4, three RBI, two runs), Dan Grzywa (5-for-11, two RBI) and Jake Buhman (3-for-7, two RBI, two doubles).
Post 57 will be back in action Tuesday night with a game at Elmhurst Post 187 before returning home to play St. Charles Post 342 at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Wing Park.
