BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Juniors Kevin Callahan and A.J Nathan and senior leftfielder Mark McDermott have been chosen as the co-winners of the "Most Valuable Player" honor for the 2012 Illinois Wesleyan baseball team.

Callahan, a lefthanded hitting first and third baseman, was named to the first team of the 2012 D3baseball.com NCAA Division III All-American team, was the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin "Player of the Year", and was the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Central Region "Position Player of the Year".

Callahan finished the season with a .355 batting average, 42 runs scored, 17 doubles, 11 home runs, 54 runs batted in, a .654 slugging percentage, and a .458 on-base percentage. The 54 RBI is tied for fourth most in an IWU single season.
Callahan heads into his senior year tied for fourth in IWU records with 28 career homers, second with 92 walks, and fifth with a career .623 slugging percentage.

Nathan, a catcher who was also the winner of the team's "Best Defensive Player" award for the second straight year, batted .339 with seven doubles, three triples and two homers. He also provided 30 runs batted in and scored 42 runs.

McDermott hit .340 with a team-high 18 doubles, two home runs and 37 RBI. He finished his career in the top 10 of seven catergories at Illinois Wesleyan, including tied for fifth in doubles (47), sixth in games started (152), seventh in both at bats (5830 and hits (193), eighth in games played (162) and ninth with 129 runs scored.

In other team honors, senior righthander Joe Sweeney was named "Most Valuable Pltcher" and freshman righthanded pitcher Chris Bobo earned "Top Newcomer" status.

Sweeney had a team-high in victories with a 7-3 record and had 40 strikeouts in 75 innings.

Bobo had a 4-2 record with a team-best 2.78 earned run average. He struck out 34 enemy batters in 45 1/3 innings and pitched 8 1/3 innings of seven-hit shutout ball in a 6-0 NCAA Division III Regional win against DePauw on May 18.

Senior outfielder Billy Dillon along with junior catcher Chris Brown were the co-winners of the “Titan Award”, which is given for spirit, dedication and competitive attitude. Brown also won the award in 2011.

The Titans finished with a 31-17 record, were 12-9 in CCIW play and appeared in the NCAA Division III tournament for the third straight year and 10th time overall.

Head coach Dennis Martel, whose 25-year career record is 653-401-3, awarded letters to 28 players, including 23 who will return for next season. The lettermen are:

SENIORS
Billy Dillon, Downers Grove, Ill. / Downers Grove South HS
Pat Hayn, Chicago, Ill. / St. Ignatius HS
Mark McDermott, Tinley Park, Ill. / Andrew HS
Kevin Sullivan, Highland Park, Ill. / Highland Park HS
Joe Sweeney, Chicago, Ill. / Fenwick HS

JUNIORS
Chris Brown, Grayslake, Ill. / Grayslake Central HS
Kevin Callahan, Chicago, Ill. / Brother Rice HS
Anthony Kopp, Highland Park, Ill. / Highland Park HS
Josh Levy, Skokie, Ill. / NIles North HS
Anthony Lopez, Bolingbrook, Ill. / Naperville Central HS
Nick Mehn, Peoria, Ill. / Limestone HS
A.J. Nathan, Highland Park, Ill. / Highland Park HS
Zach Scott, St. Charles, Ill. / St. Charles East HS
Matt Workman, Tremont, Ill. / Tremont HS

SOPHOMORES
Matt Conrad, Hickory Hills, Ill. / Stagg HS
Bobby Czarnowski, Naperville, Ill. / Naperville Central HS
Johnathan Erickson, St. Charles, Ill. / St. Charles East HS
Jon Frericks, Gurnee, Ill. / Warren Township HS
John Frueh, Oak Park, Ill. / Oak Park-River Forest HS
Jeff Johnson, Gurnee, Ill. / Warren Township HS

FRESHMEN
Craig Berberich, Carol Stream, Ill. / Wheaton North HS
Chris Bobo, Hinsdale, Ill. / Hinsdale Central HS
Nick Hahn, Elgin, Ill. / Burlington Central HS
Matt Hart, Wheeling, Ill. / Wheeling HS
Derek Idstein, Grayslake, Ill. / Grayslake Central HS
John Munyon, St. Charles, Ill. / St. Charles North HS
Robert Romano, Des Plaines, Ill. / St. Viator HS
Dan Truesdale, Tinley Park, Ill. / Andrew HS