TriCounty Tammy Van Oppen earned the coveted title of Illinois Ms. Basketball following the 1991-92 season with averages of 20.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 3 blocks per game for the 32-1 Limestone Community High School state girls high school tournament runners-up. The Rockets advanced to the Elite 8 in three of her last four years as a varsity starter.
Van Oppen was named to four all-state teams after her senior season in basketball, as well as to all-Metro teams by the Journal Star in basketball, volleyball, and softball.
The daughter of Jerry and Cheryl Van Oppen, Tammy set a state finals record for most three-point baskets in a single game (seven vs. Lyons Township) and was a 40 percent shooter from there, with 53.4 high school career shooting accuracy from all distances.
She ranks No. 2 in school scoring history with 1,814 points and set single-season records for most rebounds (323) and blocked shots (102). Now a freshman at the University of South Florida, Van Oppen poured through 27 points to lead an early-season Bullsí victory.
| 1996 Co-Tri-County Female Athlete of the Year HEATHER CASSADY Heather Cassady was only a sophomore in the 1995-96 school year, but the Dunlap High School two-sport standout showed such talent she was named the Tri-County Female Athlete of the Year. |  |