Hometown Heroes, A look at local athletes competing at the next level

By the end of her high school career, Chandice Cronk's name was synonymous with Wasilla High School girls' basketball. While she isn't quite the center of the Santa Clara University universe, people at the Division I level are starting to remember the name Cronk.

In just her first season at the collegiate level, Cronk has started nine of her team's 13 games and is averaging 19 minutes per game - third-best on the Division I squad.

"Chandice is a great stand still shooter but she also does a great job of shooting off the dribble," Bronco head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson states in Cronk's bio on the Santa Clara University athletic department website. "She has a scorer's mentality and we have a lot of confidence in her abilities."

Cronk's ability to shoot the ball ultimately led her into the Bronco lineup, and the Wasilla 2004 graduate is steadily making an impact for Santa Clara. On Dec. 30, Cronk was named player of the game by Santa Clara radio after scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in a 78-62 win over Portland State. Cronk hit each of her three three-point attempts.

Cronk is currently averaging just under six points per game and has lifted her three-point shooting percentage to 36-percent. Cronk began the season shooting under 20 percent from the arc. The young Santa Clara squad, a team with just four upperclassman is 6-8.

On Jan. 7, the Broncos had a three-game winning streak snapped. Santa Clara fell to Gonzaga 85-50 in its West Coast Conference opener. Cronk was held to three points.

Hockey:

Kerry Weiland (Palmer 1999) … is in her first season with the Brampton Thunder of the National Women's Hockey League. Weiland has four goals and seven assists in 14 games for the 13-2-2 Thunder … Jake Williams (Houston 2002) is in his second season with the Dubuque Thunderbirds of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. Williams is third on the squad with six goals and seven assists for the 15-10-1 Thunderbirds. Williams registered two assists in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Minnesota Ice Hawks on Jan. 5 … Jamie Bennett (Houston 2002) is in his second season with the Thunderbirds. Bennett two goals and three assists with 31 penalty minutes. The Thunderbirds play the Twin Bridges Lightning in a two-game series this weekend … Seth Reda (Colony 2001) is in his first season with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the National Junior Hockey League. He is second on the squad with eight goals and 14 assists for the 13-15 Ice Dogs … Spencer Syverston (Wasilla 2004) is in his first season with the Hudson Valley Eagles of the American Metropolitan Junior Hockey League, a Junior B league. Syverston has six goals and nine assists for the 16-8-1 Eagles … Jake Luthi (Colony 2001) is in his sophomore season with Rensselaer Polytechnic. Luthi scored his team's lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Notre Dame on Jan. 2 … Nathan Schwartzbauer (Colony 2001) is in his sophomore season with Bemidji State University. Schwartzbauer leads all Beaver blueliners with a +4 rating. He also has two assists in 14 games … Dan Hacker (Wasilla) is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He has five goals and six assists for the 8-9-1 Mavericks. He is one of five Mavericks with double digits in points.

Basketball:

Jessica Moore (Colony 2000) is a senior at the University of Connecticut. Moore is averaging 6.0 ppg and 5.8 rpg. Moore scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds in an 88-33 win over Providence on Jan. 4 … C.J. Hooker (Palmer 2000) is a senior at the University of North Carolina. UNC is 12-1 and riding a 12-game winning streak. Hooker has appeared in 11 games this season … Adam Fitt-Chappell (Wasilla 2002) is a junior at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Fitt-Chappel, who is averaging 10.6 ppg and shooting 47 percent from three-point land, scored six points and grabbed five rebounds in a 65-52 loss to Northwest Nazarene on Jan. 6 … Zac Forsyth (Palmer 2002) is a redshirt junior with UAA. Forsyth will sit out a year after transfering from UAF during the off-season … Brittany Kroon (Wasilla 2002) is a junior for Seattle Pacific Univeristy. Kroon grabbed six points and five rebounds in a 70-49 win over Humboldt State on Jan. 6. Kroon is averaging 9.7 ppg and 7.4 rpg for the fourth-ranked Division II squad in the nation … Ron (Buddy) Bailey (Wasilla 2003) is a sophomore at Cal Baptist University. Bailey registered three points in an 81-74 win over Christian Heritage on Jan. 6. Bailey is averaging 4.7 ppg and 2.5 apg … Amber Magner (Palmer 1992) is in her third season as head coach of California State University-Monterey Bay women's basketball squad. CSUMB is 3-6 … Leah Magner (Colony 1999) is an assistant coach for the CSUMB women's basketball squad … Marsha Schirack (Wasilla 2003) is a sophomore forward with the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She scored five points in a 78-74 overtime loss to Western Washington on Jan. 6. Schirack is averaging 5.8 ppg and 3.7 rpg … Melissa McNaulty (Susitna Valley 2002) is a junior guard with UAF … Ray Schafer (Wasilla 2003) is a redshirt freshman with the University of Oregon. He is averaging nine minutes per game … Kelly Quinn (Colony 2002) … is a redshirt sophomore with Central Washington University. She is averaging 5.4 ppg and 2.3 rpg for the 9-2 Wildcats. Quinn grabbed three rebounds in a 74-58 win over Western Oregon on Jan. 6… Kristina Klapperich (Colony 2004) … is in her first season with Central Washington. Klapperich, who is averaging 4.4 ppg and 3.5 rpg, registered four points and five boards against WOU … Chandice Cronk (Wasilla 2004) is in her first season with Santa Clara University. Cronk was named Santa Clara radio's player of the game after scoring 11 points in a win over Portland State on Dec. 30 … Kurt Devon (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Southwestern Oregon Community College … Stanley Ratcliff (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Western Oregon University. He is averaging 10 minutes per game for the 7-4 Wolves. … Jesse Prins (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Hope College (Mich.) … Emily Bolling (Palmer 2004) is in her first season with the New York Institute of Technology. Bolling is averaging 9.5 ppg and 4.2 rpg … Laural Creel (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman at Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Wrestling:

Jed Wade (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman with Columbia University. Wade defeated Aaron Smith of Millersville 3-1 on Nov. 20 … Jonah Stewart (Palmer 2003) is a redshirt freshman at Western State (Colo.). Stewart pinned Derren Legge of the University of Colorado in the third period on Nov. 20. Stewart also defeated Kevan Costelow of the Colorado School of Mines 5-4 … Jermamiee Meisler (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman at Southwestern Oregon Community College … James Winter (Colony 2001) is a Minnesota State-Moorehead junior … Andy Anderson (Palmer 2002) is a Ellsbury Community College (Iowa) sophomore. Anderson is a starter at 133.

Swimming:

Dirk Craft (Palmer 2001), a nine-time All-American in swimming is expected to lead a deep University of South Dakota men's squad this season … Sarah Brettrager (Colony 2004) is a freshman at Division I Oakland (Mich.) University.