Illinois Wesleyan senior linebacker Nick Nikolich was named "Don Larson Defensive Player of the Year" and Norm Eash was chosen as the "Bob Reade Coach of the Year" in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin on Nov. 17.

The Titans, who were picked fourth in the league's preseason coaches' poll, won their 14th CCIW championship with a 6-1 record and were 9-1 overall and will host Wabash at 12 p.m. in a first round NCAA Division III playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Nikolich was seventh in the league with 49 total tackles and helped IWU lead the league in scoring defense (11.6 points allowed), pass defense (122.1 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (81.3 yards allowed per game) and total defense (203.4 yards allowed per game).

Nikolich is the first IWU player to win the league's top defensive honor since Jeff Heinzl in 2000. Keith Cornwell (1979), Rick Hanna (1980) and John Munch (1996 and 1997) were the other Illinois Wesleyan defensive players to be honored with the award in the CCIW.

In addition to Nikolich, five other Titans named to the all-CCIW first team on defense - sophomore defensive back #P.J. Cummings#, senior defensive back Roman Hunter, junior linebacker Dan Rogers, junior linemen Max Brooks and Ryan Jenkins.

On the second team all-league defensive squad is senior defensive back Robert Beauchamp.

Chosen to the second team offensive unit were junior running back Eli Williams, senior wide receivers Chris Messina and Jack Scalcucci, senior linemen Travis Boothe and Keely Flood and junior lineman Ray Krishock.

The "dean" of league coaches, this is the fifth time Eash has been selected CCIW "Coach of the Year" , having won previously in 2007, 2001 and the NCAA playoff seasons of 1996 and 1992. His career CCIW mark is 104-61-1 (.619), making him fourth all-time in victories in the league.

North Central quarterback Aaron Fanthorpe was tabbed as the "Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year".