BLOOMINGTON, Ill - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team hosts North Park University Saturday, April 10, in the Titans' first home game in more than 500 days. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. under the lights and will be second part of a doubleheader with the IWU men's lacrosse team, which will play Carthage at 1 p.m.
    Illinois Wesleyan picked up its first win of the season at Augustana, March 27, as IWU shutout Augie, 12-0, to move to 1-1 on the year. North Park, which beat Elmhurst in a scrimmage, dropped its official opener to Carthage, 21-0, April 2.
    The game will be live streamed and will have live stats available. Links to both can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.

THANK YOU SENIORS!: Saturday's game will mark the final home game in the careers of Illinois Wesleyan's 13-man senior class. The Titans will honor Logan Betz, Stephen Cutro, Roger Dondanville, Brad Goldasich, Tyler Jones, Liam Krammer, Will Lowery, Zach Mitchell, Mike Murphy, Michael Norwood, Joseph Stith, Chris Wojciak, and Emmett Zima. Together, the class has combined for 24 wins, two CCIW Championships, and countless IWU game, season, and career records.

REWRITING RECORDS: Illinois Wesleyan's last meeting with North Park saw IWU's sack records fall, as the Titans defense suffocated the Vikings all day long. The Titans set the school record for sacks in a game with 15, while defensive tackle Mike Murphy tied the individual game mark with 4.5 sacks.

A LOOK AT THE ALL-TIME LEDGER: Illinois Wesleyan and North Park will meet on the gridiron for the 61st time since 1960. IWU has dominated the all-time series, besting NPU in 56 of 60 meetings. Most recently, Illinois Wesleyan picked up its fourth straight win over North Park with a 32-6 win over the Vikings on Senior Day, Nov. 16, 2019. Moreover, prior to a 2015 loss to NPU the Titans had won 29 straight against North Park dating back to 1986. Illinois Wesleyan is a perfect 31-0 at home against North Park all-time.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE: Illinois Wesleyan's game against North Park will mark the Titans' first home game in 511 days, when IWU toppled NPU 32-6 in the season finale Nov. 16, 2019.

HOME COOKING: The Titans are 116-47 (.712) at home since Norm Eash became head coach in 1987. IWU has won 15 of its past 18 home games dating back to the 2016 season.

NO SOUP FOR YOU!: IWU defeated Augustana 12-0, March 27, marking Illinois Wesleyan's first shutout of Augie since the 2009 campaign.

MURPHY GARNERS D3FOOTBALL HONORS: Mike Murphy was named the D3football.com Team of the Week for the third time in his career, March 30. Murphy fueled Illinois Wesleyan to a 12-0 win over Augustana in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin play Saturday, March 27. The senior defensive end notched four tackles, including two sacks for a loss of 16 yards, as IWU shut out Augie for the first time since 2009. With 22.5 sacks in his career, Murphy ranks second on the NCAA Division III active sacks list. His 1.07 sacks per game lead FBS, FCS, Division II and III active players.

WHAT A DEBUT: Lucas Segobiano did a bit of everything in Illinois Wesleyan's season opener at Millikin, March 20. The St. Charles, Ill. native hauled in a game-high seven catches for 104 yards, including two touchdowns in his IWU debut. He also completed a two-yard pass and rushed for 16 yards and a touchdown.

FRESHMAN SLINGER: In its season opener Saturday, March 20, Illinois Wesleyan started a freshman at quarterback for the first time since Brandon Bauer started against Wheaton, Oct. 1, 2016. In his collegiate debut, Sage Shindler completed 25-of-37 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns. Nationally, Shindler ranked fifth in completions per game (26), seventh in passing yards per game (332) and total offense (332), 11th in passing efficiency (159.5), and 12th in complete percentage (.650) after his collegiate debut.

MONSTER IN THE BACKFIELD: Senior defensive end Mike Murphy enters the season following a record-setting 2019 campaign.  For his career, Murphy's 20.5 sacks are second-most on the Division III active list. His 16.0 QB takedowns in 2019 were the most in all of Division III, while his 1.60 sacks per game were the most among FBS, FCS, and Division II.
    Murphy was named to the D3football.com Preseason All-America First Team back in September. He was one of 11 CCIW players to earn a selection, and the first Titan to do so since Trevor Staley did in 2018. Overall, he is just the third IWU player to be recognized on the D3football.com preseason team since 2005.

IN THE TRENCHES: Illinois Wesleyan returns nearly its entire offensive line from a season ago, including co-captains Jake Buhe and Michael Norwood. IWU also returns AJ Lust, Chris Wojciak, and Jacob Finfer. Collectively, the group has made  42 career starts.

LEADING THE WAY: The Titans will be led by captains Jake Buhe, Liam Krammer, Mike Murphy, Michael Norwood, and Emmett Zima this season. The captains are voted by the team. A tradition that typically takes place near the end of "Spring Ball," was held via virtual meetings this past summer due to COVID-19.

200-WIN CLUB: Thirty three-year veteran Norm Eash is one of just nine coaches nationally in NCAA Division III with 200-or-more career wins. Eash, who has won 215 games as the head man at his alma mater, ranks tied for fifth in the country among active head coaches. Redlands Head Coach and 1980 Illinois Wesleyan alumnus Mike Maynard joined Eash in the 200-win club with a 27-19 victory over Linfield, Sept. 21, 2019.

YEAR 128: In its 128th season, IWU has an overall 1,060-game record of 600-418-42 (.586 winning percentage). Of the 1,060 games, head coach Norm Eash has been involved in 362 of them (326 as a coach, 36 as a player from 1971-74). Illinois Wesleyan's 35-27 win at Albion on Sept. 13, 2014 was the 1,000th game in Illinois Wesleyan football history.

ON THE HORIZON: Illinois Wesleyan wraps up the season with a scrimmage at Elmhurst Friday night, April 16, at 6 p.m.