When DePaul was searching for a new women’s soccer coach a few years ago, there were no headlines, no agonizing over the choice, no Page 1 columns demanding the next Ray Meyer.
And why would there have been? Women’s soccer is not men’s basketball. The Blue Demons’ intercollegiate program didn’t get off the ground until 1996, and in its first three seasons it went 6-44-6. So when John Wilson took over for Laure Schingen in 2000, the appointment didn’t cause much of a stir.
That would’ve been about the time Julianne Sitch was looking at colleges.
“I never wanted to go to DePaul,” Sitch said.
The Oswego soccer standout was working on her reputation as one of the top players in the state at that time, and one would have thought she’d be headed for a Big Ten school.
But an unofficial visit to DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus changed her mind. Sitch is headed for DePaul, and so is Wheaton Warrenville South’s Amy Witt, two of the players selected for the 2002 Tribune All-State team.
Add Elk Grove’s Erin Walter, a special-mention pick, and former Jacobs standout Jennifer Heil, a transfer from Colorado, and DePaul has a group of recruits hoping to kick-start a program that has never been above .500.
Wilson knew he had a tough job, especially convincing the best players in Illinois to consider DePaul. Illinois and Northwestern already were having some success, and the Blue Demons also had to recruit against teams like Loyola and Illinois State.
“I work extremely hard, something I brought here from LSU,” said the 32-year-old Wilson, who was an assistant at that Southeastern Conference school before taking the DePaul job. “I learned it from the LSU track coach [Pat Henry],” whose women’s team won 11 national titles in a row.
Wilson said that one night in Baton Rouge, both were leaving the athletic offices about 11 p.m.
“He said something to me I’ll never forget: `Sometimes all you can do is outwork them,'” Wilson recalled.
It worked. Sitch committed, and Witt took notice. “Oh?” Witt thought when hearing about the decisions by Sitch, a former teammate in the Olympic Development Program, and by Walter. “Those are some pretty awesome players.”
Witt isn’t so bad herself.
“There’s a saying in soccer that there are two kinds of players–piano players and piano movers,” Wilson said. “She has a combination of both–great physical size and can dominate on defense.”
Sitch’s impact has been felt not only in Oswego but nationally too. A midfielder who tallied 18 goals and 14 assists during the high school season, she’s a member of the under-19 national pool of players.
“She plays with so much intensity and love for the sport,” Wilson said.
Sitch has shown she can get excited about the game even when not playing. She missed one game this season because of pulled back ligaments, so she decided to be one of the ball girls. She got a bit intense on the sidelines and picked up a yellow card from the referee.
That’s the kind of passion Wilson loves. And he needs Sitch’s talent–she was also an All-State selection as a junior–at DePaul.
“I wanted to be on a team where I could make an impact,” said Witt, who will be hoping to do just that when Wheaton Warrenville South faces Barrington in the Class AA quarterfinals Friday. “And DePaul needs some impact. I love the school, love the city. That’s what kept me interested in them.”
Sitch chose DePaul over Illinois, Ohio State and Missouri.
“Our girls are anxious for a local option,” Wilson said. “Why they weren’t coming here before, I don’t know.”
Of course, there are other options for the Tribune’s All-State seniors. Evanston’s Marisa Brown, whose team hasn’t lost this season, will go to Wisconsin. New Trier’s Nell Compernolle (Northwestern), Waubonsie Valley’s Kristen Zmijewski (Indiana) and St. Charles East’s Kristin Zoelle (Iowa) also will be in the Big Ten, while Lake Zurich’s Sarah Uyenishi has opted for Marquette, one of DePaul’s rivals in Conference USA.
There are four underclassmen on the All-State team who will have plenty of college options. Walter’s teammate at Elk Grove, junior Jen Buczkowski, is said to be looking at DePaul. Downers Grove South goalkeeper Sarah West and Troy Triad’s Jessie Bayne are also juniors. The question in the press box at North Central College during the Class A finals was whether Normal U-High sophomore scoring machine Ashlee Pistorius was ready for professional soccer.
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GIRLS SOCCER ALL-STATE FIRST TEAM
Jen Buczkowski, forward
Elk Grove junior
Scored 14 of her 28 goals in the last six games before her season ended prematurely with national team duties.
Nell Compernolle, forward
New Trier senior
Led Trevians with 21 goals, 16 assists–and in scoring the last three seasons.
College: Northwestern
Kristen Zmijewski, forward
Waubonsie Valley senior
15 goals, 10 assists for terrific all-around player.
College: Indiana
Ashlee Pistorius, midfielder
Normal U-High sophomore
Again led state with 58 goals and tied state-finals record with six; Laura Demke’s all-time record (205) in sight.
Jessie Bayne, midfielder
Troy Triad junior
Best player in southern Illinois. Led team with 28 goals and to tight Class A quarterfinal match against St. Viator.
Marisa Brown, midfielder
Evanston senior
Had 21 goals, 20 assists. One college coach said it’s impossible to take the ball from her.
College: Wisconsin
Julianne Sitch, midfielder
Oswego senior
State coaches’ top player and national team pool member had 18 goals, 14 assists for the Panthers.
College: DePaul
Kristin Zoelle, midfield/defender
St. Charles East senior
Unbeatable on head balls–like former Saints Anne Poulin and Laurie Seidl.
College: Iowa
Sarah Uyenishi, defender
Lake Zurich senior
Sweeper directed state quarterfinalist from the back line; scored seven goals.
College: Marquette
Amy Witt, defender
Wheaton Warrenville S. senior
Stopper for Tigers, who didn’t let the loss of Therese Heaton and Kristin Radcliffe stop their run to state.
College: DePaul
Sarah West, goalkeeper
Downers Grove South junior
Yielded only 14 goals in 25 games and had 15 shutouts and was brilliant in the sectional semifinals.
Second team
Katy Lindenmuth, Geneva
Senior forward
Loryn King, St. Viator
Senior forward
Kristin Radcliffe, Wheaton W. South
Sophomore forward
Joyce Kleinheinz, Libertyville
Senior midfielder
Elyse Nikonchuk, Lincoln-Way C.
Junior midfielder
Julie Thompson, Naperville Central
Senior midfielder
Lauren Weber, St. Viator
Junior midfielder
Colleen McAndrews, St. Charles E.
Senior defender
Caitlin McKeown, Barrington
Senior defender
Rachael Sauerman, Naperville North
Junior defender
Julie Ryder, DeKalb
Junior goalkeeper
Special mention
Forwards
Deb Benakis, sr., St. Charles East
Kristen Baluta, sr., Stevenson
Kristina Baumann, sr., Neuqua Valley
Megan Boler, jr., St. Francis
Jessica Eenigenburg, sr., Illiana Christian
Ariel Fortune, fr., Wheaton Academy
Rachael Hansen, jr., Evanston
Stacy Hendrickson, sr., Maine South
Lindsey Holcomb, sr., Collinsville
Franny Iacuzzi, so., Evanston
Alaina Lacopo, so., Troy Triad
Nichole Meschbach, jr., St. Viator
Jennie Nobis, sr., Quincy
Haley Partridge, fr., Springfield
Lindsey Schemenauer, sr., Downers South
Randy Streng, jr., St. Charles North
Midfielders
Amy Bedford, sr., St. Ignatius
Katie Campion, sr., Schaumburg
Kristen Jedlo, sr., Lincoln-Way Central
Jen Jeffers, jr., Lake Zurich
Kara Kabellis, jr., Providence
Crystal Lanski, sr., Downers Grove South
Alexandria Libertore, sr., Pleasant Plains
Julie Lipinski, sr., Marian Catholic
Stephanie Miller, sr., Carmel
Mallory Snyder, sr., Fremd
Amanda Steele, fr., Von Steuben
Natalia Walters, so., St. Viator
Erin Walter, sr., Elk Grove
Defenders
Katelyn Lobascio, jr., Lake Forest
Jacqueline Luehrs, sr., St. Viator
Ginny Graczyk, jr., Libertyville
Shannon McDonnell, jr., Sandburg
Jessica Vaughn, sr., Lincoln Park
Goalkeepers
Becca Bald, sr., Geneva
Louisa Bigelow, sr., Evanston
Rachel Frank, sr., Buffalo Grove
Emily Nikonchuk, sr., Lincoln-Way Central
Tammi Radder, sr., Zion-Benton
— Alan Sutton
