Once again, Mary Ballinger accomplished a major feat with her feet.

The Chesterton grad and University of Southern Indiana senior became an All-American for the third straight year after placing fifth in a field of nearly 200 competitors at last Saturday's NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. Ballinger clocked a 20:45.9 over 6K, which was less than 24 seconds off the winning pace, and her finish was the highest ever posted by a Screaming Eagles runner at the national meet.

Ballinger, who helped USI occupy the No. 12 position in the team standings, took 10th in the race a year ago and was 17th as a sophomore. During last spring's track season, she was the national champion in the steeplechase.

Volleyball

Chelsy Kimes (Munster) was chosen MVP of the Big South Tournament after leading Coastal Carolina to a team championship, which secured for it an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

In the clinching four-game win over Liberty, Kimes produced 16 kills and 15 digs. She totaled 50 kills during the tourney.

Lees-McRae sophomore Megan Epperson (Lake Central) was an All-Conference Carolinas second-team pick.

In three recent matches -- all of them three-game wins for the Bobcats -- the outside hitter totaled 24 kills. In a victory over Anderson, Epperson also recorded three blocks to go along with her eight kills.

Clarion University sophomore setter Amanda Gough (Chesterton) was chosen as a member of the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-West second team after passing out 1,205 assists, the 10th-highest total for a single season in school history. Gough, whose 2,000 career assists rank fifth in school annals, also supplied the Golden Eagles with 334 digs, 77 blocks and 72 kills this past season.

Football

Defensive lineman Chris Rice (Thornton) registered four tackles, including two for loss, and 1 1/2 sacks as Illinois Wesleyan shut out North Park 49-0 to earn a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time since 1996.

Also playing for the Titans are junior offensive lineman Sean O'Connor (St. Francis deSales), freshman linebacker David Wright (Crete-Monee) and freshman wide receiver Mark Williams (Homewood-Flossmoor).

Brendan Carragher (Andrean), a three-year starter at center for St. Francis, was selected to the All-Mid-States Football Association Mideast League first team for the second consecutive season.

Men's swimming

Junior Brendan Georgas (Munster) was tabbed as the Patriot League's Male Diver of the Week after recording personal-high scores on both the 1- and 3-meter boards in a dual meet with Holy Cross. He collected 290.40 points diving off the lower board and 280.72 points off the higher one.

Georgas is currently ranked as the No. 2 diver in the Patriot League at 1 meter.

Women's basketball

Sophomore guard Lizzie Stapke (Highland) had seven points, two rebounds and two assists as Indiana-South Bend improved to 6-1 on the season with a 76-64 win over Calumet College last Thursday. Sophomore center Becca Hoefler (Valparaiso), who collected nine points in the Titans' lone loss two days before, added three points and three boards versus the Crimson Wave.

DaLita Scott (Hammond) is averaging 12 points per contest as a sophomore forward at John A. Logan College. Scott, the Vols' lone returning starter from a year ago, garnered All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference and All-Region 24 honors as a freshman after posting per-game averages of 12 points and five rebounds.

Men's basketball

Dolton resident Derek Needham amassed 33 points, 10 assists and six steals in his first two collegiate contests, both of which ended in victories for Fairfield University. His efforts were good enough to earn Needham, who prepped at De La Salle, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors.

Stephen Albrecht (Crown Point) tallied 20 points for Toledo in a losing cause last Friday, as the Rockets fell 75-62 to No. 2 Michigan State in the Legends Classic.

The Times welcomes information about local athletes for inclusion in Region Collegians. E-mail Ken Karrson at kenneth.karrson@nwi.com or fax to (219) 933-3249. Karrson can be reached at (219) 933-3232.

REGION COLLEGIANS