Murphy, Hamilton Named Defensive and Offensive MVPs for Football

77 players awarded letters for 2021 season

11/30/2021 9:34:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Junior defensive lineman Conor Murphy (Aurora, Ill.-Metea Valley) was chosen as the defensive "Most Valuable Player" and junior wide receiver Charlie Hamilton (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin) was elected the offensive MVP for the 2021 Illinois Wesleyan University football team as Head Coach Norm Eash announced the team's annual awardwinners Monday night, Nov. 29.

The Titans finished the season 3-7, with wins over Elmhurst (52-3), Millikin (14-0), and North Park (56-6). Four Titans earned Second Team All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin honors, while Anthony Marre (Bloomingdale, Ill.-Glenbard North) and Andrew Stange (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Lake Zurich) garnered CCIW Player of the Week recognition. Marre, Murphy, and seniors Zack Tencza (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) and Skyler Metzger (Northbrook, Ill.-Glenbrook North) were also named to D3football.com's Team of the Week throughout the season.

Murphy led the Green and White with 7.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, and a pair of forced fumbles. He finished his first season as a starter with 54 tackles, including 10 for loss, while also adding two breakups. He popped off for five tackles, three for loss, 2.5 sacks, three QB hurries, and a forced fumble in IWU's rout of Elmhurst on Homecoming, Oct. 2, to earn a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week. He finished the season ranked tied for fourth in forced fumbles and fifth in the CCIW in sacks,

Hamilton, who was named the recipient of the team's "Best Skill" award for the second straight season, was Illinois Wesleyan's top receiver in 2021. A Second Team All-CCIW selection, Hamilton hauled in 55 catches for 818 yards, including eight touchdowns, all of which were team-highs. He recorded four 100-yard games, and tallied seven-or-more receptions four times. Hamilton's best game of the season came at Carthage, Sept. 25, where the junior wideout made eight catches, highlighted by three TDs, for a career-high 178 yards. He concluded the year ranked fifth in the CCIW with 81.8 yards per game and tied for eighth in receiving touchdowns.

Michael Alvarado (Plainfield, Ill.-Providence Catholic), a freshman wide receiver converted defensive back, was selected as the "Most Improved Player." He made 18 tackles, nine solo and nine assisted, and recorded an interception in his rookie season. Alvarado made three stops and returned an INT 18 yards in IWU's 14-0 shutout win over Millikin, Oct. 16.

Tencza was honored as the winner of the "Best Big Skill." A Second Team All-CCIW honoree, Tencza emerged as an offensive weapon for the Titans. He finished second on the team in receptions (37), receiving yards (410), and touchdowns (4). Tencza reeled in D3football.com Team of the Week honors following a breakout performance at WashU, Oct. 9, where he made eight catches for 113 yards, including a touchdown.

Senior Jake Buhe (Frankfort, Ill.-Lincoln-Way East) was 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 Illinois Wesleyan senior offensive lineman who passed away in 2005. Buhe was also voted the team's "Best Lineman" as a Second Team All-CCIW and Second Preseason All-American at center.

Sophomore Seth Albin (Midlothian, Ill.-Oak Forest) earned the "Best Special Teams Player" award after his strong play in the return game. Albin returned 29 kicks for a total of 609 yards to finish with an average return of 21 yards, the fourth-best in the CCIW. Albin took a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown on the opening kick in IWU's thumping of Elmhurst, Oct. 2. On offense, Albin added 60 carries for 343 yards and six touchdowns.

Other team award winners were:

MOST VALUABLE FRESHMAN – Frank Roti, defensive back (Orland Hills, Ill.-Andrew)

OFFENSIVE JUNIOR VARSITY PLAYER – Tre Moore, wide receiver (Cool Valley, Mo.-Ritenour)

DEFENSIVE JUNIOR VARSITY PLAYER – Paul Zunkel, linebacker (McHenry, Ill.-McHenry West)

Head Coach Norm Eash, who has a 35-year record of 219-117-1 and a CCIW mark of 161-92-1, awarded letters to a total of 77 players, including 51 who will return for next season. A complete list of the 2021 football lettermen can be found here. Additionally, a list of the top-three vote-getters for each of the team awards can be found below.

MVP Defense
1. Conor Murphy
2. Nicholas DeGregorio
3. Tyler Maple

MVP Offense
1. Charlie Hamilton
2. Hamid Bullie
3. Jake Buhe

Most Improved
1. Michael Alvarado
2. Frank Roti
3. Skyler Metzger / Jonas Capek

Best Big Skill
1. Zack Tenzca
2. Skyler Metzger
3. Daniel Gibbons

Best Skill
1. Charlie Hamilton
2. Hamid Bullie
3. Anthony Marre

Best Lineman
1. Jake Buhe
2. Conor Murphy
3. Nicholas DeGregorio

Special Teams
1. Seth Albin
2. Andrew Stange
3. Jonathan Rukujzo

MVP Freshman
1. Frank Roti
2. Sam Schott
3. Josh Hlavacek

Offensive Scout
1. Tre Moore
2. Zach Burhans
3. Ryan Kell

Defensive Scout
1. Paul Zunkel
2. James Rott
3. Matthew Morrow

Doug Schmeid Titan Award
1. Jake Buhe
2. Robert Neidballa
3. Hamid Bullie

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