Titans Get 10 on all-League Squads; Eash Named “Coach of Year”

November 13, 2007

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan’s Norm Eash, who led his team to a share of the league football championship, was named “Bob Reade Coach of the Year” in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and 10 of his players earned all-league honors in voting by CCIW coaches Tuesday, Nov. 13.
Named to the first team were senior defensive back Bo Osburn, senior defensive end Tim Wilkins, sophomore linebacker Nick Nikolich, junior wide receiver Martin Ceisel, senior running back Marcus Dunlop and senior offensive lineman Eric Van Hise.
Selected to the second team were junior linebacker Dan Souder, junior defensive end Alex Holmberg, senior defensive tackle Rob Hoyland and sophomore offensive lineman Keely Flood.
For Eash, it marks the fourth time he has won the league’s coaching honor as the Titans finished 6-1 after being tabbed seventh in the preseason coaches’ poll. Eash, whose 21-year CCIW record is 95-56-1, was also CCIW “Coach of the Year” in 1992, 1996 and 2001.
Osburn (Morton HS), who was a second team selection in 2006, averaged 7.0 tackles per game against the league while Wilkins (Evanston HS) was second in CCIW games with six quarterback sacks and 1.71 tackles for loss per game.
Nikolich (Libertyville HS) was third in the league with 9.9 tackles per game.
Ceisel (Deerfield HS) is on the first team for the third straight season. He was second in the CCIW with 87.4 receiving yards per game and third with 6.57.
Dunlop (Maywood. Proviso East HS), a second team selection in 2004 and 2006, finished second in the league with 74.3 rushing yards per game and was 10th in all-purpose yards with 87.0 per game.
Van Hise (Rochelle HS) and Flood (Lombard, Montini HS) were key blockers on an offensive line that allowed IWU to finish third in the league in rushing (126.7 per game) and passing (216.4).
Souder (Elk Grove Village, Elk Grove HS) averaged 6.6 total tackles per game and Holmberg (Oak Park, Fenwick HS) and Hoyland (Montgomery, Oswego HS), a second team selection in 2006, each accounted for 5.4 stops per contest. Holmberg also accounted for five quarterback sacks and 10 tackles for losses totaling 38 yards.

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206