•August 12, 2026•
by Jamie Crosier
The Sullivan Blue Dolphins closed the championship season with four swimmers qualifying for Illinois Swimming State Championship meets, marking the end of another successful year for the Sullivan swim club.
Emily Crosier, Emme Kirkley, Jace VanUytven and Mack Pogue each earned the opportunity to compete against many of the state’s top swimmers after qualifying through their performances during the season.
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•August 12, 2026•
by Jamie Crosier
Young swimmers from Sullivan and surrounding communities who are interested in competitive swimming will have an opportunity to join the Sullivan Blue Dolphins during team tryouts on Thursday, Aug. 27.
Tryouts begin at 5:00 p.m. at the Sullivan Civic Center in Sullivan and are open to children ages 5 through 18. While the team is based in Sullivan, athletes from any community who are able to attend practices in Sullivan are welcome to try out.
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•July 29, 2026•
by Jamie Crosier
The Sullivan Blue Dolphins traveled to Bloomington, Illinois, during the weekend of July 18 to compete in the Summer Regionals, finishing seventh out of 14 teams with 1,048.5 points.
The team brought 15 swimmers who competed in 86 individual events. Of those swims, 72 resulted in top-10 finishes, including five regional champions.
Four Sullivan Blue Dolphins qualified for the State Championships: Emily Crosier, Mack Pogue, Jace Van Uytven and Emme Kirkley.
The four state qualifiers will represent Sullivan at the State Championships, while the team’s performance at regionals capped a successful meet in Bloomington.
On July 20, Sullivan High School graduate Aeralyn Thrasher signed her letter of intent to continue her volleyball career at Southeastern Illinois College. Thrasher plans to study nursing with the goal of working in labor and delivery. Her favorite quote is, “I never lose. Either I win or learn.” One of her favorite memories from her time at Sullivan High School was senior night, when she and a teammate received customized shirts with their nicknames, “Toots” and “Sher Bear.”
Pictured (L-R): Jerica Thrasher, Aeralyn Thrasher and Jake Thrasher.
•July 22, 2026•
by Jamie Crosier
Fourteen-year-old Kylie Wickline is bringing home more than a championship as she prepares for her freshman year of high school.
Wickline, who plays for the Mattoon Pride 14U SG travel softball team, was selected as the Championship Game MVP by the opposing team during the USSSA Fastball Fireworks & Freedom tournament over the Fourth of July weekend.
The recognition came after opposing coaches selected one player for the honor. Wickline said she was surprised when her name was announced.
“I didn’t think it was going to be me at first because all of my teammates did great that game,” Wickline said. “When my name was called, I was very excited and happy that everybody was supporting me when I got it.”
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•July 15, 2026•
Submitted
The Sullivan Blue Dolphins traveled to Quincy on June 27-28 for the 2026 Firecracker Classic, where swimmers competed through hot temperatures and outdoor conditions while turning in strong performances across multiple age divisions.
The team was led by six swimmers who earned High Point honors in their respective divisions, an award presented to the athlete who accumulates the most points based on individual event finishes throughout the meet.
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•July 8, 2026•
Austin and Annika Kelley, brother and sister from Sullivan, traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma to compete in the UTA Taekwondo Nationals on Friday, June 26. They both came home National Champions in the weapons division. Annika is the UTA 2026 11-14 year old Creative Weapons National Champion and Austin is the UTA 2026 15-17 year old Traditional Weapons National Champion.
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The Sullivan Blue Dolphins had a strong showing at the 2026 Capitol City Classic in Springfield, finishing 5th overall out of 14 teams. The team’s top point scorers were Emily Crosier – 204.5 points in the Girls Open Division; Mack Pogue – 208 points in the Boys 12 and Under Division; and Stella Perrott – 103 points in the Girls 10 and Under Division.
These outstanding performances, along with contributions from the entire team, helped lead the Dolphins to an impressive 5th-place finish. Next up, the Sullivan Blue Dolphins are headed to Quincy, Illinois, to compete at the SST Firecracker Classic.
•June 24, 2026•
Lake Land College is holding a summer volleyball camp for children ages 6 through high school. The camp will be held across two weeks, July 20th through 23rd and July 27th through 30th, at Emerald Acres Sports Connection, located at 1201 Woodell Way in Mattoon. The camp will give players of all skill levels the chance to develop their abilities, improve their fundamentals, and explore the game of volleyball with immersive drills and structured training. Campers will be placed into four separate groups based on age, and the camp will be divided each day into four sessions, one for each age group: 10 and under, 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.; 11 years old and 6th grade, 10:15 to 11:45 a.m.; 7th and 8th grade, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.; and High School, 2:15 to 3:45 p.m.
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Sylvia Dawkins, 14 of Sullivan placed 10th out of 38 competitors on her tumbling floor pass June 16 at the USTA Nationals held in Madison, WI. Sylvia is part of the tumble team at Prairie Land Power Tumbling and Trampoline in Lovington.