For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

Fall Sports Award Winners

November 19, 2007

EUREKA, Ill. -- The E-Tribe Fall Sports Banquet was held Sunday in the Cerf Center. Eureka College fall head coaches Kevin Brucker (cross country), Randy Crady (men's & women's soccer), Sandi Kelley (volleyball) and Dan Sullivan (football) announced their team awards for the 2007 season.

Also, Head athletic trainer Randy Henkels announced Wayne O'Harrow as his lone senior student athletic trainer and handed him his senior award.

Eureka fielded NCAA recognized cross country teams and competed in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships for the first time this season. The men's MVP was awarded to Cody Clark (Mapleton, Ill./Limestone), while Mary Ackerman (Morton, Ill./HS) was given the MVP on the women's side. Both runners paced the Red Devils this season, including posting the best EC times at the conference meet. Ackerman even became Eureka's first cross country race winner by taking first place at the Principia Cowbell Classic. She was named SLIAC Runner of the Week for the week of Aug. 27 - Sept. 2.

Coach Crady built the EC soccer teams from the ground up over the last year and a half as they played a full NCAA and SLIAC schedule for the first time this fall. Though the men's team finished 0-17, they were led by MVP goalkeeper Garin Pisano (Metamora, Ill./HS), who ended the season ranked second in NCAA Division III with 13.9 saves per game. Jake Jacobsen (Eureka, Ill./HS) and Nick Fricano (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame) each received Most Improved Awards. Jacobsen tied for the team lead with two goals. Fricano was the only Red Devil to start all 17 games this season, mostly at the defensive midfielder position. Finally, the men's soccer team earned Eureka's first SLIAC Sportsmanship Award this season.

The Eureka women's soccer team had remarkable success in its first season, despite an inexperienced line up. The Red Devils' were 2-6 in SLIAC action and 7-10 overall, which ranked as the best record out of the seven first-year NCAA III women's soccer programs. Previously announced All-SLIAC 2nd team honoree KT Zapushek (Metamora, Ill./HS) was voted the team's MVP. She led the club in goals (11) and assists (10). The two Most Improved Awards were handed out to first-year players Megan Waggoner (Winnebago, Ill./HS) and Jessica Smith (McLean, Ill./Olympia). Smith ranked third on the team in points (13) even though she missed the final four games due to injury. Waggoner was a consistent threat for the Red Devils, posting seven points and the second most assists (5) on the team.

Under the direction of new coach Sandi Kelley, the EC volleyball team came on strong late in the season, taking eight of their last 12 matches, including a six-match winning streak, which was the longest for the team since 2000. The Red Devils' final mark was 13-17 (8-10 SLIAC). Senior Emily Forbes (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais), who had already picked up Honorable Mention All-Conference accolades, was voted Team MVP. She set the school's career digs record this season, winding up her four-year career with an amazing 2,055. Honorable Mention All-Conference honoree Kylie Bahorik (Washington, Ill./Peoria Christian) was named the team's Best Newcomer. She led EC in assists (909) and aces (53) in her first season. Her classmate, Marisa Durley (Roanoke, Ill./Roanoke-Benson) earned the Most Improved Award following a season in which she filled in at many different positions.

The Red Devil football squad was an improved unit this year, posting a 2-5 record (2-8 overall) in the final season of Illini-Badger Conference play. Sophomores Nick Lindsey (Homer, Ill./Heritage) and Matt Knake (Freeburg, Ill./HS) were awarded Team MVPs for offense and defense respectively. Last year's Best Newcomer Award winner, Lindsey was a driving force from the quarterback position, throwing for 1,093 yards, rushing for 226, accounting for nine touchdowns, and ranking third in the league in passing and total offense. Knake led the Eureka defense at linebacker with 71 tackles. Like Lindsey, he was earlier named Honorable Mention All-Conference and IBFC Player of the Week.

The prestigious Andy Nicks Awards for Best Linemen were given to junior James Albers (Mendota, Ill./HS) for offense and freshman Jacob Ioerger (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest) for defense. Albers is now a two-time winner of the award after anchoring the EC offensive line this season at the left tackle spot this year. Ioerger was a steady interior defensive lineman, playing all 10 games and totaling 29 tackles and four tackles for loss. Each had previously been announced as Honorable Mention All-Conference.

Freshman running back Chris Wakid (Danvers, Ill./Eureka) received the Best Newcomer Award. He scored the second most touchdowns for Eureka this year with four (three rushing, one receiving) and ranked fourth in total offense. Finally, Jered Ewing (Bloomington, Ill./Tri-Valley) picked up the Most Improved Award. Ewing performed well on special teams, registering eight tackles in his sophomore season.

The Eureka College athletic banquets are sponsored by the Eureka athletic department in conjunction with E-Tribe. Each year there are three banquets: fall, winter and spring. For further information concerning upcoming banquets, please call 467-6456.

Cross country team award winners: Cody Clark and Mary Ackerman.	Volleyball team award winners: Emily Forbes and Marisa Durley.

Football team members Todd Stewart, Nick Lindsey, Matt Knake, Raul Mendoza and Jered Ewing.

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For More Information Contact:

Brian Sullivan
Sports Information Director
Eureka College
300 E. College Avenue
Eureka, Illinois 61530
309-467-6456
bsullivan@eureka.edu