Gutman joins FC Cincinnati team
Andrew Gutman has joined Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati on loan from Scottish Premiership side Celtic FC through the end of the 2020 MLS season.
“We are excited to add Andrew to our roster,” FC Cincinnati general manager Gerard Nijkamp said. “He is an exciting young player that will add balance to our backline. We look forward to getting him acclimated with our club and the city of Cincinnati.”
In his second game with Cincinnati Aug. 17, a home match against New York City FC, the Hinsdale native recorded an assist in the team’s 4-1 loss.
Gutman, 22, began his professional career earlier this year when he signed with Scotland’s legendary Celtic FC in January. He then spent the first half of 2019 on loan with the USL Championship’s Charlotte Independence in North Carolina, registering three goals and one assist in 14 appearances with the Independence before returning to Scotland for Celtic’s preseason preparations. He was also included on the U.S. Men’s National Team preliminary roster for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The 2015 Hinsdale Central graduate was a standout player at Indiana University, leading the Hoosiers to consecutive NCAA Men’s College Cup appearances in 2017 and 2018, and winning the 2018 MAC Hermann Trophy, which is given to the United States’ best college soccer player.
Hill garners All-American honors
Hinsdale’s Nathan Hill was recently named to the Google Cloud College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American Track & Field/Cross Country second team.
Hill helped guide his Middlebury College Panthers to the program’s second-consecutive NESCAC Championship and also competed at the 2019 NCAA Track & Field Championships during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. He ran the opening leg of the NCAA champion distance medley relay team at the indoor national meet in early March, won the 800 meters at the Division III New England Championships, and finished runner-up in that event and third in the 1,500 meters at the NESCAC Championships. He became a two-time NCAA Outdoor All-American in the 800 meters and also ran the third leg of the eighth-place 4x400-meter All-American relay quartet.
Hill, a 2016 Hinsdale Central graduate, enters his senior year with a 3.88 grade point average as an economics and psychology double major.
Rafferty to play in Belgium
Hinsdale native and former Hinsdale Central and Furman University basketball star Matt Rafferty has signed a contract to begin his professional career with Limburg United in Belgium’s Euromillions League, according to a Southern Conference press release.
Rafferty helped lead Furman to a school-record 25 wins during the 2018-19 season and make its first NIT appearance since 1991. He concluded his senior season ranked in the top five in the conference in every major statistical, including shooting a league-best 61.5 percent from the field.
Limburg finished in sixth place in the Euromillions League last season and reached the league semifinals. Limburg’s 2019-20 season begins in late September.
Thornton bags POY points title
Hinsdale’s Sarah Thornton captured the Player of the Year points title in the junior girls division of the Illinois Junior Golf Association, earning 6,812.5 points over 22 playing member events. The points total broke the previous record of 5,080 set in 2011.
Thornton won 14 tournaments and was runner-up in five others en route to her history-making feat. Her closest competitor registered 4,455 points.
The Hinsdale Central freshman is expected to compete for the Red Devils this season.
