4 December 2001
CONTACT: Head coach Norm Eash, (309) 556-3344
 
 

Telford, Andrekus Chosen as Titan Football MVPs

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.-- Seniors Aaron Telford and Brad Andrekus have been selected as the most valuable offensive player and most valuable defensive player, respectively, for the 2001 Illinois Wesleyan University football team.

Telford (Bloomington, Central Catholic HS) gained 785 yards rushing and was the team's third-leading receiver while scoring 10 touchdowns. Telford finished his career with 300 carries and 1,538 rushing yards, good for No. 14 all-time in a Titan uniform.

A three-year starter, Andrekus (Carol Stream, Glenbard North HS) was the team's second-leading tackler and intercepted five passes to give him 11 for his career, tied for eighth in school history. A first team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selection, Andrekus also was awarded the team's "Best Skill" award.

Honors

Senior defensive tackle Keir Thirus (Country Club Hills, Rich Central HS) was selected as the "Most Improved Player", while wide receiver Eric White (Antioch HS) earned "Most Valuable Freshman" honors.
Thirus finished the season with 32 total tackles, including 11 solos, in his first year as a full-time starter. White was second on the team with 20 receptions and 312 receiving yards with a team-best six touchdown catches.

Junior cornerback Kevin Kaplan (Cary, Cary Grove HS) was chosen as the "Best Special Teams Player" and junior linebacker Mike Clark (Joliet, West HS) earned the team's "Best Big Skill" honor.
Kaplan, an all-CCIW defensive back and return specialist, finished with 20 total tackles and made one interception. He had an 18.1 punt return average and a school-record 85 yard punt return for a touchdown against Carthage.
Clark was the Titans' leading tackler with 82, including 45 solo. He had 13 tackles for losses totaling 35 yards, three quarterback sacks, and two interceptions, including one returned 70 yards for a touchdown against Millikin.

Senior quarterback Kyle Eash (Bloomington HS) was chosen for the "Titan Award," given to the players who best exemplifies team spirit, loyalty, sportsmanship, leadership, good attitude, and citizenship.
Eash was 24-of-49 passing for 340 yards and rushed for 240 yards on 61 carries.

Freshman running back Tom Geary (Glencoe, New Trier HS) was chosen as the best offensive scout team player, while freshman linebacker Robert Shell (Lansing, Thornton Fractional South HS) was named the best defensive scout team player.
Scout teams imitate the approaching opponent in practice each week.

Season Recap

Illinois Wesleyan's football team, which was 7-2 this season, knows how to win the CCIW championship. IWU tied Augustana for the CCIW crown with a 6-1 mark and has now shared the league title the past two seasons, the school's first back-to-back championships since 1964-65. However, Augustana earned the league's automatic playoff berth by virtue of its 14-7 victory against the Titans.
"Our players next year want to be special. I made the statement to them that the last two seasons we've had great seasons, but we're ready to become a special team," said IWU coach Norm Eash.
Getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 1996 should be a realistic goal in 2002. IWU will have five returning first-team all-league players in Clark, Kaplan, wide receiver Tim Snyder (Glen Ellyn, Glenbard South HS), offensive tackle Adam Miller (Elgin, Larkin HS) and defensive end Steve Schilsky (Springfield, Sacred Heart Griffin HS).
"That's a great foundation to build upon," said Eash, who has a 99-40-1 record in 15 seasons as his alma mater's coach. "I don't think most people realize how many young kids we played."
The Titans will return eight offensive starters and six on defense from a team that finished with a five-game winning streak.
Both IWU lines figure to be strong in 2002, with four offensive line starters and three on the defensive front returning. The special teams also solid as sophomore kicker Brian Klesath (Peoria, Notre Dame HS), who was 7-of-9 in field goal attempts, and sophomore punter Travis Spagnola (Godfrey, Alton Marquette HS) will return.
For the first time in three seasons, IWU won't be breaking in a new quarterback in 2002. Junior Josh Akin (Naperville, Benet Academy) assumed full-time duties midway through the season and completed 90-of-182 attempts for 1,141 yards with eight TDs.
The biggest holes to fill on defense -- which allowed 12.0 points per game -- will come in the secondary where Kaplan is the lone returning starter.
 
 

Lettermen

Eash awarded letters to 52 IWU football players, 33 of whom will return in 2002. They are:

SENIORS (19) - Joe Abruzzo (Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates HS), Brad Andrekus (Carol Stream, Glenbard North HS), Jamison Bills (Normal, U High), Creighton Drescher (Palatine HS), Kyle Eash (Bloomington HS), Shaun Friziellie (Prospect HS), Matt Highland (Pecatonica HS), Craig Kastning (Woodstock HS), Craig Knoche (Riverside, Riverside-Brookfield HS), Ben Lawson (Charleston HS), Jeff McWherter (River Grove, Holy Cross HS), Frank Mirandola (Melrose Park, West Leyden HS), Mark Mirandola (Melrose Park, West Leyden HS), Jacob Quinton (Franklin Grove, Sterling Newman HS), Andy Rader (Carlock, U High), Aaron Telford (Bloomington, Central Catholic HS), Keir Thirus (Country Club Hills, Rich Central HS), C.J. Walton (Deerfield HS), Jim Yonker (Naperville, Central HS).

JUNIORS (16) - Josh Akin (Naperville, Benet Academy), Will Augustine (Downers Grove, North HS), Nathan Bell (Mahomet, Mahomet-Seymour HS), Brad Burtnette (Woodridge, Downers Grove South HS), John Butler (Deerfield HS), Joe Bzdyl (Mokena, Lincoln-Way HS), Willie Chandler (St. Louis, Mo., Hazelwood East HS), Mike Clark (Joliet, West HS), Nathan Gavzer (Rolling Meadows, Palatine HS), Randy Green (Urbana HS), Kevin Kaplan (Cary, Cary Grove HS), Adam Miller (Elgin, Larkin HS), Chris Ross (Chatham, Chatham-Glenwood HS), Steve Schilsky (Springfield, Sacred Heart Griffin HS), Pat Spangler (Joliet HS), Travis Wieland (Catlin HS).

SOPHOMORES (10) - Josh Addis (Essex, Reed-Custer HS), Luke Carreras (Park Forest, Marian Catholic HS), Peter Dabrowski (Elmwood Park HS), Solomon Jones (Kankakee HS), Brian Klesath (Peoria, Notre Dame HS), Tim Snyder (Glen Ellyn, Glenbard South HS), Travis Spanola (Godfrey, Alton Marquette HS), Dave Strubbe (Oak Forest, Providence Catholic HS), Kyle Venvertloh (Quincy, Notre Dame HS), Jared Wagner (Lexington HS).

FRESHMEN (7) - Vince Heaton (Wheaton, Warrenville South HS), Kenny Hogue (Tuscola HS), Matt Holland (Kenney, Clinton HS), Tom Mikolajczyk (Glencoe, New Trier HS), Josh Remer (Crestwood, Shepard HS), Eric White (Antioch HS), Kyle Wolfe (St. Joseph, St. Joseph-Ogden HS).