University of St. Francis senior and former Seneca High School standout track and field athlete Eva Bruno closed out her decorated indoor collegiate career with her best mark ever in an NAIA All-American performance in the 1,000-meter race on the final day of the 41st Annual NAIA Women’s Indoor Track & Field National Championships last week.

Bruno — now a five-time All-American — posted a time of 2 minutes, 58.13 seconds, which was 0.36 faster than her previous best time of 2:58.49 at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships back on Feb. 20 and enabled her to place fifth in the finals. Two weeks ago, Bruno was named the Outstanding Track Event Performer at the CCAC Championships and was selected as the Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week by the league — her third award of the season.

The senior gained the distinction after totaling 28 points, winning both the 800- and 1,000-meter events, while also being a part of USF’s runner-up finisher in the 1,600 relay. Bruno’s time of 2:19.68 in the 800-meter event was not only the top mark in the conference this season, but also ranks No. 4 in the nation. Her time in the 1,000-meter event was 2:58.49, while the relay squad clocked in at 4:02.16.

Bruno was also a part of the 4x400 foursome, including younger sister Mara Bruno (Fr., Seneca), that posted a time of 4:00.68 in the 1,600 relay to place 11th among 16 teams in the preliminaries.

Other solid performances for the Fighting Saints during the indoor season included Mara Bruno finishing up a solid rookie season with USF earning first-, second- and third-place marks in the long jump in a trio of invites. Sara Cahill (Jr., Seneca) placed seventh in the 3000-meter race walk (24:58.9) at the CCAC Championships, while Charleen Mascote (Sr., Streator) posted a sixth-place in the 1,000-meter run (3:22.1) at the ONU Last Chance meet and a fifth-place mark in the pole vault (9 feet, 1/4 inch) at the ONU Tiger Invite, and Olivia Bukowski (Fr., Seneca) placed seventh in the 800 (2:41.80) and ninth in the 1,000 (3:26.93) at the CCAC Championships.

The 21st-ranked North Central College women’s track and field team recently closed out its 2021 indoor season, winning four events in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Elite Invitational at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Shirk Center. Alexandra Draves (Jr., Seneca) won the 20-pound weight throw with a toss of 55 feet, 3 1/2 inches. Draves during the season placed first in the weight throw in all four meets the Cardinals participated in while also finishing fourth in three of the four.

The Illinois Wesleyan University women’s track and field team closed out the indoor season on a high note, recording 10 event wins at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Elite Meet. Cora Wilkinson (Sr., Seneca) led a one-two finish for the Titans in the long jump, recording a jump of 17 feet, 7 inches, while also running the third leg of the 1600 relay team’s first-place mark in 4:01.09, the 11th-best time nationally. Earlier this season, Wilkinson was named CCIW Women’s “Field Athlete of the Week” on Feb 16 having won the long jump with a distance of 18-1/2 in the third Titan Triangular meet.

North Central’s Dolan Harris (Jr., Streator) had a solid indoor season, placing third (9:09.83) and sixth (9:19.92) in 3000-meter runs in a pair of dual meets, as well as a sixth in the 800 (2:05.33) in a third.

Women’s basketball

Behind a season-high 54%-shooting performance, the Wisconsin Lutheran College women’s basketball team cruised to a 78-53 victory over Benedictine to clinch its 10th Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference Tournament title inside the Dan and Ada Rice Center in Lisle this past Saturday afternoon. The Warriors finished the season 12-1 overall and the NACC North Division champs at 9-1. Guard Meggie Scott (Fr., Newark), who sank a 3-pointer and handed out an assist in the championship-game victory, finished the season appearing in 12 games, averaging 13.6 minutes, 2.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists.