College Notebook | Niagara guard Henderson looks like lock for MAAC freshman of year

By Mike Walsh
Correspondent

Ahmad Henderson’s collegiate basketball career has gotten off to a promising start.

The Niagara freshman guard was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s Rookie of the Week for the period ending Jan. 24.

Henderson, a Brother Rice graduate, paced the Purple Eagles to a 2-1 record that week as he averaged 21.3 points, two assists and 1.7 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field, 44.4% from 3-point range and 93.3% at the free-throw line.

On Jan. 15, Henderson tallied 27 points in a 93-88 loss to Siena and led all scorers with 23 points in an 82-71 triumph over Mount St. Mary’s. Henderson was 7-of-15 from the floor in the game, including 3-of-6 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Henderson has been named the MAAC’s Rookie of the Week four times this season, including back-to-back honors for the week’s ending Jan. 8 and Jan. 15.

Through the first 18 games this season, Henderson led Niagara in scoring at 14.4 points per game.

Doing it at Dubuque
Dubuque men’s soccer player Zach Floss has been honored for excellence on the field and in the classroom.

Floss, an Orland Park resident who prepped at Sandburg, was named to the American Rivers Conference’s honorable mention team for the 2023 season. This is the first All-Conference plaudit of his career.

Floss recorded one assist over 19 starts. The junior defender also led the team in minutes played.

He was also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for men’s soccer for the second time in his career, and was chosen to the A-R-C’s 2023 Fall All-Academic Team.

Two other local student-athletes — Loras sophomore women’s volleyball player Patrycja Jarzabek, a Reavis alum, and Dubuque junior football player Benjamin Rodriguez, a De La Salle alum — also earned berths on the A-R-C’s 2023 Fall All-Academic Team.

Jarzabek appeared in 25 matches this season, making 16 starts, and finished with 159 service points and 138 kills.

Rodriguez played in five games and completed five passes in nine attempts with a touchdown.

Sandburg graduate Zach Floss was named to the American Rivers Conference’s honorable mention team for the 2023 season. Photo courtesy of University of Dubuque Athletics

Making a Splash
Illinois-Chicago diver Harrison Nolan was named the Mid-American Conference’s Diver of the Week for the timeframe concluding Jan. 24.

This marks the fourth time this season Nolan, a sophomore from Riverside, earned the award.

In the Flames’ matchup with the University of Chicago on Jan. 19, Nolan entered the UIC record books in the 1-meter dive after winning the meet with a score of 370.95 points. That surpassed Felix Lafortune’s 350.05 set in 2020.

Nolan finished the meet by winning the 3-meter event with a career-high 386.33 points, which qualified hm for an NCAA Zone meet.

Illinois-Chicago diver Harrison Nolan, of Riverside, set a Flames record in the 1-meter dive and has earned Mid-America Conference Diver of the Week four times this season. Photo courtesy of UIC Athletics

Zach Attack
North Central College football player Zach Fortier was named to the All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin’s Second Team in football for the 2023 season.

Fortier, a Sandburg graduate, started 13 games at offensive right tackle, blocked for an offense that led Division III in points per game (58.6), yards per game (567.5) and passing efficiency (249.02) while setting new conference marks in points (576), points per game (64.0), touchdowns (83), yards (5,504) and yards per game (611.6).

Winter Coates
The leading pass catcher this season for Wisconsin-Whitewater was junior wide receiver Tommy Coates. The De La Salle graduate helped the Warhawks finish the season 11-2 overall and in the third round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Coates had 62 receptions for 730 yards and 10 touchdowns.

A Great Fitz
Carroll University (Wisconsin) senior women’s soccer player Caitlin Fitzsimmons has been named to the Fall 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.

Fitzsimmons, who was the Pioneers’ No. 1 goalkeeper, started all 20 matches this season, making 80 saves and posting a goals-against average of 1.15.

Fitzsimmons, of Oak Lawn, had 11 wins including 10 shutouts in conference matches. The Pioneers finished third in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and reached the CCIW tournament championship match for the first time in program history.

Inspirational Flyer
Dayton safety Matt Lenti garnered a pair of postseason plaudits, including being named to the 2023 All-Pioneer Football League Honorable Mention Team.

In addition, Lenti was the recipient of the Emil Karas Memorial Award, which is given to the Flyers player who provides the most inspirational leadership, as chosen by his teammates.

Lenti, a LaGrange Park resident who prepped at Mount Carmel, appeared in 11 games this season with 10 starts, amassing 73 tackles, 3½ tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and one interception.

Sam, He Is
Drake senior tight end Sam Rodriguez was chosen to the 2023 All-Pioneer Football League Second Team.

Rodriguez, of Western Springs and a Lyons alum, concluded the campaign with 12 receptions for 252 yards.