Summer notebook: Princeton girls basketball tunes up at Bradley Camp

The Princeton girls basketball team got to tune up its game and get a taste of the college experience Saturday at the Bradley University Team Camp.

The Tigresses played three games at the Markin Student Center and Renaissance Coliseum on the Bradley campus in Peoria. There were 37 teams in attendance.

“It was really neat. I think it’s good for the kids to get to see a college campus, and they enjoyed being able to be on the Renaissance Coliseum court,” PHS coach Tiffany Gonigam said. “Many of them noted how intimidating it would be with the way the floor sat below the stadium-style seating.”

Although it was Princeton’s first time at the Bradley camp, Gonigam got to experience it playing for Bureau Valley and then-coach Jeff Ohlson, now athletic director at PHS.

The Tigresses went 1-2, defeating Chicago Marshall 30-21 while losing to the Heart of Illinois Travel team and Chicago Trinity.

Hayes resigns as Princeton softball coach

Jhavon Hayes has resigned as head softball coach at Princeton High School after three seasons to land what she calls her “dream job” as hitting coach at Illinois State University, her alma mater.

“I had the conversation before just about entertaining the idea, and then it opened. I was praying, got confirmation. I got the sign I needed,” Hayes said. “My coach [ISU head coach Tina Kramos] told me to get on campus ASAP. So I’ll start Aug. 1.”

This will be a full-time position with ISU, so Hayes will be giving up her current job as a foster care caseworker.

“I love my job currently, but I got a call for my dream job. Got to take it or else I’ll regret it,” she said.

Kramos was an assistant coach at ISU when Hayes played for the Redbirds in 2010-13 and served as a student assistant in 2014 working with hitters.

Hayes met with her PHS squad Thursday because she wanted to let them know before they heard it somewhere else, she said. After having a turnaround season in 2024 with a 17-8 record from 7-17 in 2023, Hayes said this year’s 15-12 campaign was a bit of a disappointment.

“The last season wasn’t what we hoped it would be. Had some injuries and just trying to figure out how to plug people in,” Hayes said.

Bromenschenkel joins UNI staff

Former Mendota standout Amellia Bromenschenkel has been named as an assistant coach for the University of Northern Iowa women’s basketball program. She joins the UNI staff after a playing career at Purdue Fort Wayne, where she appeared in a program-record 147 games and is ranked in the top 10 in school history in points (1,536), rebounds (516), field goals (568), 3-pointers (173), steals (183) and blocks (80).

“We are excited to welcome Amellia to our Panther family,” UNI head coach Tanya Warren said. “She will be a good fit for what we are looking for.”