Football | 11/30/2016 4:07:00 PM
2016 Illinois Wesleyan Football Statistics
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – For the third straight season, senior linebacker
Sean Garvey was elected as the defensive "Most Valuable Player" while senior
Maurice Shoemaker-Gilmore was chosen as the offensive MVP for the 2016 Illinois Wesleyan football team.
The Titans finished with a 7-2 record, were 6-2 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin and head coach
Norm Eash has a 30-year record of 191-101-1 and a CCIW mark of 135-80-1.
Garvey (Glenview, Glenbrook South HS), who also won the team's "Best Big Skill" award, led the team with 81 total tackles, including 52 solo stops. He became IWU's all-time leader in solo tackles with 170 (old mark was 169 by Keith Cornwell, 1976-79) and finished his career with 270 total tackles, No. 9 in Illinois Wesleyan history.
Garvey is the third player in IWU football history to win the most valuable player honor three times. Wide receiver Martin Ceisel (2006, 2007, 2008) and quarterback John Rooney (1982, 1983, 1984) were offensive honorees and linebacker John Munch (1995, 1996. 1997) was a three-time defensive MVP.
Garvey was also the winner of the squad's "Doug Schmied Award", voted on by the coaches for loyalty, leadership, citizenship, most sports- and team-minded and attitude. The honor is named for Schmied, the IWU senior offensive lineman who passed away in 2005.
Shoemaker-Gilmore (Kankakee, Ill., Bishop McNamara HS) was also the winner of the team's "Best Skill" award. He became IWU's single-season rushing record holder with 1,143 yards on 197 carries, besting the old mark of 1,079 (Kurt Swearingen, 1977). In his two-season career, Shoemaker-Gilmore is No. 10 in rushing yards at school with 2,011 and he was a first team all-CCIW selection as he led the league in rushing yards per game (127.9), all-purpose yards per game (180.6) and scoring (78 points).
Senior defensive lineman
Kyle Venhuizen (Evergreen Park, Ill., Evergreen Park HS) was tabbed as IWU's "Best Lineman" as he accounted for 24 solo tackles along with 11 assists. A first team all-CCIW player, he led the Titans with 11 tackles for losses totaling -54 yards including five quarterback sacks for -36 yards. He made one interception, recovered two fumbles and forced one fumble.
Senior kicker
Andrew Iwaszkiewicz (Elmhurst, Ill., York HS) was chosen as the team's "Best Special Teams Player" as he averaged 38.2 in 37 punts with a long of 65 yards. He made four of seven field goal attempts with a long kick of 29 yards and kicked off 49 times for 2,853 yards and seven touchbacks.
Quarterback
Brandon Bauer (Frankfort, Ill., Lincoln-Way East HS) was selected as the team's "Most Valuable Freshman" as he stepped in to complete 122 of 205 passes for 1,446 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also rushed for 175 yards on 63 attempts with one touchdown.
Other team award winners were:
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER –
Brian Johnson, junior, wide receiver, Villa Park, Ill. (Willowbrook HS)
OFFENSIVE JUNIOR VARSITY PLAYER –
Dean Zigulich, freshman, wide receiver, Riverside, Ill. (Riverside-Brooksfield HS)
DEFENSIVE JUNIOR VARSITY PLAYER –
Derrick Frye, freshman, lineman, Posen, Ill. (Chicago Brother Rice HS)
A total of 66 players lettered for IWU, including 46 who will return for next season.
Go here for the complete list of 2016 football lettermen.
