Illinois Wesleyan senior Mary Rankin (Emden, Hartsburg-Emden HS) plays and is a starter in both volleyball and softball. Last season she tied for the team lead in service aces and her 321 digs was tied for 11th most in a season at IWU.
In softball, she was a second team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selection as she hit .349 batting average with six doubles and four home runs.
As a sophomore at Kankakee (Ill.) Community College, she was an NJCAA All-American second baseman for a team that went 42-9 and finished fifth in the national tournament. She hit .467 with 11 homers, 53 RBI and was in the top 20 nationally in runs (11th with 66), doubles (16th with 21) and total bases (16th with 137).
A business administration major at Illinois Wesleyan, she is the daughter of Gary amd Cherie Rankin.
Why you chose Illinois Wesleyan: Strong academics, volleyball and softball Programs
IWU class you’re most qualified to teach: Dance
The hardest challenge about being a Division III student-athlete is: Being compared to D1 athletes
Worst grade in a class you ever got – what and when? Failed a math test in third grade and was terrified to bring it home
I’m deathly afraid of ... : Heights
Worst habit: Not knowing how to balance school work and Netflix
Most expensive traffic ticket: Speeding ticket; $120
Language I’d like to learn: German
The longest I could survive without my cell phone: Maybe a week
One word your mother or father would use to describe you: Determined
Favorite sports figures: Addison Russell, Jennie Finch
My greatest moment in sports was: Playing in the Canadian Softball Cup
The best player I ever faced was: Jessica Moore, Oregon, Team USA
Worst dressers on my teams: Sarah “Udie Pudie” Udelhofen, Delaney Olinger
Thing that’s been in my fridge the longest: Ranch dressing
People I’m dying to have dinner with: Grandpa Bob Bilik, the cast of One Tree Hill
Favorite food: Chinese
Vegetable I won’t eat: Brussels sprouts
Pepsi or Coke? Pepsi
Favorite TV show: "One Tree Hill"
Favorite musician: Garth Brooks
Favorite movie: "A League Of Their Own"
If a movie were made of my life, I would like the following person to play me: Sophia Bush
If my life were on TV as a reality show, I’d call it: "True Life: I Have 6 Dogs"
The person in history I would most like to meet is: Jackie Robinson
My dream job would be: Professional Nap Taker
Place I’d most like to live: Somewhere on a farm with a lot of animals
What tops on my “bucket list”: Visit Ireland
My possession that would fetch the most on eBay: My make-up collection
Who are the luckiest people in the world? My parents
What I miss most about being in the third grade: Dodgeball
