Metro Sports Report

Todd Rima honored by IHSBCA

Kirkwood Coach Todd Rima was honored by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association at its annual awards banquet Saturday night at the Marriott Hotel in Cedar Rapids.

Rima was named the IHSBCA College Coach of the Year for junior college coaches. Brian Wede of Northwestern College won the award for four-year schools.

Mustang men split volleyball openers

DUBUQUE - The Mount Mercy men's volleyball team began the 2019 campaign Sunday by splitting two matches at the Loras College Triangular.

The Mustangs lost to Loras, 26-28, 25-17, 25-22, 26-24, in their first match in four sets. The Mustangs swept the Illinois Institute of Technology, 25-21, 25-16, 25-17, in their second outing.

Nikola Stoimenov had 12 kills for Mount Mercy against Loras. Julian Armendano collected 11 kills and eight digs. Andrew Colantone had 35 assists. Strahil Svilenski blocked four shots. Jamie Araiza had eight digs.

Stoimenov contributed 11 more kills against Illinois Tech. Ben Steffen had nine kills. Colontone amassed 31 assists and four blocks. Armendano had five digs and Svilenski had four blocks.

Mullinnix sparks Eagles by NIACC

Haley Mullinnix has a great smile and a wonderful laugh, but not when she's on the basketball court.

Mullinnix is a sphinx-like figure on the floor, rarely showing any emotion  no matter how well she's playing.

The smiles and laughter can wait until the game is over, and there was plenty of both Saturday.

Mullinnix poured in a career-high 25 points and canned six 3-pointers to help the 10th-ranked Kirkwood Eagles defeat fifth-ranked NIACC, 77-71, in a conference showdown.

Mullinnix, a sophomore guard from West Branch, was averaging 6.1 points when the day began, but she played the best game of her life when the Eagles needed her most.

"It feels pretty good," she allowed, laughing and flashing that great smile. "Yeah, it definitely feels special. Especially because we did play so well as a team."

Kirkwood leads the ICCAC conference standings with a perfect 6-0 record. Iowa Lakes and Southeastern are tied for second at 4-1, with NIACC in fourth place at 3-1 after its first setback in the league.

Mullinnix deliberately keeps her emotions under wraps during a game, trying to keep an even keel.

"I try to keep it down," she said. "Obviously when I'm playing well, it comes out a little more, but I try to keep it all intact and just play the game and keep my head on straight."

Wilson stars as Eagles tame NIACC

Doug Wilson was an All-American for the Kirkwood Eagles last season as a freshman, but he's making a strong bid for All-World honors this time around.

Wilson, a gifted 6-foot-7 forward from Des Moines, has gotten better in just about every category this year.

He's averaging 20.6 points and 8.2 rebounds, compared to 14.1 points and 6.6 boards last year when he was named a second team JUCO All-American.

His ballhandling is better. His passing is better. And his free throws, a bugaboo last year at 46.2 percent, have climbed all the way to 66.1 percent after going 5-for-5 Saturday.

And his defense? Spectacular.

"I think he's probably the best defender in the country," said Kirkwood Coach Bryan Petersen, not prone to hyperbole.

Wilson stuffed the stat sheet again Saturday as the fourth-ranked Eagles tamed 15th-ranked NIACC, 83-65, in an ICCAC conference game at Johnson Hall.