R-B grad Harrington closes in on trip to nationals

When it comes to qualifying for the NCAA track and field nationals, Mindy Harrington has played the waiting game before and lost.

This season, Harrington is doing her best to lessen that wait time.

Harrington, a Richmond-Burton graduate, moved closer to making her first trip to nationals when she posted career bests in the 20-pound weight throw and shot put for Carthage College at last weekend's Chicagoland Championships in Romeoville, Ill.

The effort earned Harrington this week's College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin indoor track and field Athlete of the Week honor.

"She's always had the potential to do this," said Stephanie Domin, the head coach at Division III Carthage. "She's really putting it all together."

Harrington's toss of 52 feet, 9 inches, which allowed her to finish fifth in the weight throw in the 20-team Chicagoland meet, also was nearly a foot better than the NCAA provisional qualifying distance.

When not enough athletes reach the automatic distance in an event -- which is 56-9 1/4 in the women's weight throw this season -- the NCAA chooses provisional qualifiers to fill the field.

Twice during her career, Harrington has reached a provisional distance but not made nationals.

"It's nervewracking," Harrington said. "But I work best when I'm under pressure. I like when I'm chasing something."

Harrington's impressive performance last weekend, which included a 41-11 toss in the shot put, is the result of a number of factors.

"It's been a lot of practice and a lot of repetitions," said Harrington, a junior at the Kenosha, Wis., school. "It's something that I've been doing since I was in eighth grade."

This season, Harrington said she also has benefited from working with Carthage's new throws coach, former University of Tennessee athlete Josh Whisman.

Thanks to a revamped weight training regimen under Whisman, Harrington has gained muscle.

"She's worked really hard in the weight room," Domin said. "She definitely looks more muscular."

The added muscle has helped throughout the indoor season, during which Harrington said she has reached the weight throw's automatic qualifying distance in practice. Carthage has two more meets, including next weekend's CCIW championships, for Harrington to chase a spot in nationals.

"That extra strength has given me more pop behind the throws," Harrington said. 

UIC's Chicagoland stars: Crystal Lake South grads Kellie Schuh and Amy Schuh had strong performances at the Chicagoland Championships.

The UIC sophomore track standouts helped the Flames' women's team finish fourth out of 20 schools.

Kellie Schuh won the triple jump (36-2 1/4) and was second in the pole vault (11-6 1/2). Amy Schuh was second in both the long jump (17-6 3/4) and the 55-meter hurdles (8.37 seconds).

The twin sisters combined to help UIC's 4x400 relay team place third.

In the men's meet, UIC placed third as a team thanks to South grad Matt Zaluckyj's second-place finish in the 800 run in 1 minute, 58.55 seconds.

St. Norbert standout: Cary-Grove grad Jamie Kuhl has helped D-III St. Norbert College's women's basketball team lock up the Midwest Conference regular-season title.

On Saturday, Kuhl scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in only 18 minutes as the Green Knights locked up their spot as hosts of the MWC's postseason tournament. St. Norbert (20-3) will host the tournament beginning Friday after beating Carroll University, 76-61.

Kuhl has helped St. Norbert to a 14-2 conference record as one of only five players to appear in every game. A top reserve at forward, Kuhl is averaging 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds. 

Despite playing just under 15 minutes a game, Kuhl is the team's third-leading rebounder.

Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.