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Spotlight: Dillon Roark

Dillon Roark's pitching prowess has had an undeniable impact on the recent success of the JJC men's baseball team.

In Roark's two years at JJC, the 2007 Wolves posted the most wins (49) in school history and finished second at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III World Series last May.

This May, Roark and the Wolves won the Division III World Series championship at Mike Carter Field in Tyler, Texas. The sophomore right-hander from Wilmington was named tournament MVP, pitching a complete game and striking out nine to finish at 12-1 on the season.

Roark completed the 2008 season with a .982 ERA, 108 strikeouts and 91.2 innings pitched, along with a .301 batting average and 16 RBIs.

At the beginning of the season, veteran head coach Wayne King told The Herald News he was looking for Roark to have a good year.

"Dillon has been clocked at throwing 88 miles per hour," King said. "He has a good fastball, curve, changeup, and slider, so he can mix things up. He's our No. 1."

King, who is also the college's athletic director, has taken the team to the World Series seven times in his 22-year career. The team last won the World Series in 1994.

The JJC Athletics Department offers multiple men's and women's sports throughout the school year including football, volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, cheerleading, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball.

"Joliet Junior College has a tremendously successful athletic program and we are very proud of the accomplishments of our coaches and our athletes," Betsy Oudenhoven, vice president of student development, said. "The dedication and hard work of these individuals is personified by coach and athletic director Wayne King and athletes like Dillon Roark. Winning a national championship is the pinnacle of success in college sports and it is an accomplishment to be treasured, not just for the elation of the moment but for all of the hard work, dedication, and teamwork required to get there. I applaud Dillon, his teammates and his coaches for a job well done."