The door has been locked since 2016.
Since St. Xavier’s softball team took second place in the NAIA World Series that season, the Cougars have been to the NAIA opening round seven times but were not able to make it to the 10-team World Series.
Coach Erin Mollohan is ready to change that this season.
“I always feel like we’re knocking on the door to go to the World Series,” she said. “But I really think this group has the ability to kick it down.”
Two area players — Evergreen Park grad Lily Strand and Mother McAuley alum Fiona Crane — could be keys in knocking down that door.
Heading into this week, Strand was 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA and 45 strikeouts in a team-high 58 1/3 innings.
Crane, who led the nation with 71 stolen bases in 2025, was hitting .397 with 32 steals in 34 attempts.
Other area players on the roster are junior outfielder Megan Kirnbauer (Andrew), senior infielder Taylor Becker (Shepard), sophomore infielder Madison Hanik (Andrew) and senior catcher Morgan Natanek (Stagg)
The Cougars (11-7 heading into this week) had an amazing 16-0 run in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference last season and open league play March 20 at Judson. Before that the Cougars had a nonconference schedule that featured nine games against top 25 opponents.
Evergreen Park hires soccer coach
Former Kelly soccer star Diego Rivas has been hired to be the boys soccer coach at Evergreen Park.
He has held several assistant positions the past 10 years with stops at his alma mater, Payton, Mount Carmel and St. Rita.
After playing for Kelly, he joined the inaugural Roosevelt men’s soccer team and scored the first goal in that program’s history.
Rivas also will be an assistant for the girls soccer team this spring.
National champ
St, Xavier fifth-year senior Lexi Clarke became just the second runner in program history to win a national track championship, finishing first in the 600 meters in the NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field meet March 7 in Gainesville, Fla.
She ran 1:31.15 to help the Cougars finish ninth in the nation.
Fire report
The Chicago Fire (1-1-1) tied Columbus 0-0 on the road on March 7 in an MLS game as goalie Chris Brady had three saves.
The Fire II (0-1-1) make their MLS NEXT Pro home debut at 3 p.m. March 15 against Chattanooga at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.
They head into the home opener after losing 2-1 to Orlando City B on March 8 on the road. Jack Sandmeyer, an MLS SuperDraft pick, scored the Fire goal.