One Thome is done at Nazareth, but another isn’t.
Infielder Landon Thome, the reigning Southwest Regional Baseball Player of the Year, has started his professional career in the Chicago White Sox organization.
His dad Jim, a Hall of Famer, has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Roadrunners.
He plans to spend time helping his son and following his career. But Jim Thome won’t be a stranger around Nazareth, where he won the first and only championship of his baseball career: the IHSA Class 3A state title in 2023, Landon’s freshman season.
“I had been to some World Series but I never won a World Series,” Jim said after the championship. “To win something like this on the backside and just to watch and help these kids as they have gone through this long grind this year is really cool.”
Now, Jim promises to maintain a presence with the program.
“I’ll come around,” he told Southwest Regional Publishing. “I won’t be there full-time but for sure, I will pop in. Lee (Milano, Nazareth’s head coach) and I have become really good friends and I obviously still want to be around the program.
“It’s been an incredible four years at Naz. We’re so grateful and appreciative of coach Milano and the whole Nazareth family and everything that we were able to be a part of. What a great opportunity.”
Hanes sparks Team USA
Sandburg graduate Jake Hanes, who is hoping to land a spot on the Team USA men’s volleyball squad in the 2028 Olympics, had a huge year in international play.
Hanes, 28, is a starting opposite hitter for the United States team, which finished second to Poland in the Volleyball Nations League tournament that wrapped up in Aug. 2 in China.
The 6-foot-10 Hanes, who also played at Ohio State, led the VNL during the regular and postseason with 26 aces.
Hanes helped the fifth-seeded United States team knock off top-seeded Japan in the semifinal round. He finished with 20 kills, three aces and a block in the five-set triumph, which snapped a 13-match winning streak for Japan.
Dominik to lead Marist baseball
Marist hired Drew Dominik to take over the baseball program. He replaces Kevin Sefcik, who stepped down after last season.
Dominik, an Oak Forest graduate, played for St. Xavier, Blackhawk and Evansville and has been Brother Rice’s pitching coach the past two seasons. He coached the 16U Cangelosi Sparks travel team to a third-place finish in the nation in the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Association Tournament in 2024.
Dodgeball nationals coming
The 2026 USA Dodgeball National Championships are slated for Sept. 4-6 at Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park.
There will be men’s, women’s and mixed divisions.
Elijah Hosimoto, whom tournament organizers say is the top player in the world, is scheduled to play.