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Sports

A Bronco is Becoming a Badger

Where some of Barrington's best athletes will be playing in the years to come.

With the school year winding down, many seniors have made their college decisions on where to play next. A junior helps highlight the list of Barrington athletes playing on the next level with a verbal commitment to the University of Wisconsin.

Many students agonize over where to attend college next year and when you add in the complexity of playing a sport at the collegiate level, the waters become even more muddied. However, for junior Dan Voltz, a 6'4, 290 pound, offensive lineman, this big decision which was making big news in the college sports world, boiled down to three things as he verbally commits to the University of Wisconsin.

“One reason was proximity (to home),” said Voltz who was being recruited by schools such as Iowa, Northwestern, Boston College, Notre Dame just to name a few of the 20 scholarship offers he received. “The University of Wisconsin also produces some of the best offensive lineman in the nation,” Voltz went on to say as to the other two reasons. “The campus in general made me feel comfortable and I really liked it.”

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“Camp Randall Stadium has to be one of the most energetic stadiums to play in,” Voltz went on to say about the facilities that Wisconsin offers that are second to very few at the NCAA division one level. Voltz, unsure of what he will be studying next year but has narrowed it to sports management or marketing. He is eager to get back to football.

“I can't wait for next [Barrington Bronco] season,” Voltz said of getting back to the game he loves. “But I'm thinking of graduating early so as to participate in spring ball next year.”

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Last summer, Voltz worked out with All-American Mike Jones who played with Iowa a few years back. But the Bronco offensive lineman has no real plans to work with any particular coach at a camp or high profile athlete this summer but he knows he will be working out.

Voltz isn't the only Barrington athlete being recruited to play at the college level. Fillies basketball player Abby Kirchoff is just one of Barrington's many other skilled players that have been spotted by some university coaches.

“The recruiting process is pretty exciting, and usually starts with a phone call,” Kirchoff said of a process inundated with paperwork, research, more phone calls and extensive travel. “Then you meet the players and coaches, maybe go to a game or two and watch a practice, and then finally you decide if you can see yourself playing there.”

Kirchoff, who has her choices narrowed down to Palm Beach Atlantic University (a small division two school), Hope College in Holland Michigan, University Colorado Colorado Springs, and a few others, also is factoring in family when she makes her decision.

“My sister [Anna, playing for Harper Community College] and I have planned to play together in college ever since my sophomore year when we were both on varsity,” Kirchoff said.  "This week we are visiting UCCS."

Other Athletes Playing on the Next Level

Voltz is just one of a handful of football players that learned under the tutelage of Barrington's Coach Joe Sanchez and will be making the transition to the college level. Below is a short list of the other elite Barrington athletes playing at college in 2011-2012.

  • Pat Bolger (football) Air Force
  • Ben LeCompte (football) North Dakota State
  • Jimmy Kristoff (football) Western Michigan
  • Sean Snyder (football) Greenville College
  • Taylor Calacci (football/track) Wheaton College
  • Madison Lang (volleyball) Florida Atlantic
  • Brooke Chandor (basketball) Colby College
  • Shelby Whigham (basketball) University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
  • Ricky Alfonso (baseball) Indiana
  • Marc Ackermann (golf) Notre Dame
  • Charlie Giovenco (soccer) Valparaiso
  • Emily Hyde (soccer) Miami of Ohio
  • Doug Berth (baseball) Oakland University
  • Casey Hahn (golf)
  • Anne Jacobsen (swimming) University of Illinois Chicago
  • David Pacheco (soccer) Parkland College
  • Kristy Dodge (tennis) Michigan
  • Connor Hollensteiner (soccer) Depauw University
  • Kelly Muskat (golf) Dayton
  • Matt Logue (volleyball) Carthage
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