BLOOMINGTON, Ill - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team begins the 2022 season with a non-conference battle against Ohio Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon, Sept. 10. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. inside of Tucci Stadium.
    Illinois Wesleyan (0-0) looks to start the season on a high note after concluding the 2021 campaign with a 3-7 overall record. The Titans finished tied for sixth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin with wins coming against Millikin University, North Park University, and Elmhurst University. Ohio Wesleyan, which already has a game under its belt, heads into Tucci with eyes on its first win of the season. The Battling Bishops dropped their home opener, 21-13, at the hands of Otterbein College, Sept. 3.
    Fans can tune into a live stream broadcast with Eric Stock calling the action on the field alongside Joel Swanson. Live stats will also be available for the contest. Links can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: Saturday's matchup between the Titans and Battling Bishops will be the first time the two "Wesleyans" will meet. Last season, OWU went 8-2 overall, including 7-2 in conference play, but has stumbled to an 0-1 start in 2022.

IWU IN SEASON OPENERS: IWU is 20-15 (.571) in opening-day games under Norm Eash. The Titans are in search of their first season-opening win since defeating UW-Whitewater 17-10, Sept. 2, 2017.

HOME COOKING: The Titans are 120-49 (.710) at home since Norm Eash became head coach in 1987. IWU has won 19 of its past 24 home games dating back to the 2016 season. In fact, Illinois Wesleyan has posted a winning record at home in each of the past five seasons dating back to the 2017 campaign.

WINNING TRADITION: Veteran head coach Norm Eash is one of just three active coaches nationally in NCAA Division III with 200-or-more career wins. Eash, who has won 219 games as the head man at his alma mater, ranks third in the country among active head coaches.

QB1: The Titans saw a competition at quarterback this preseason, with sophomore transfer Jay Lemenager emerging as QB1 in his first season at Illinois Wesleyan. Lemenager, who also served as a relief pitcher on IWU's baseball team last spring, transferred after one semester at Division III powerhouse Mount Union. He is the first lefty slinger for the Titans since Kraig Ladd in 2009.

ALL-CCIW DUO RETURNS: IWU returns two key pieces from the 2021 roster in Conor Murphy and Charlie Hamilton. Murphy, a Second Team All-CCIW awardwinner on the defensive line last season, appeared in 10 games for the Green and White. He was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week, Oct. 5, and was later voted the team's Defensive MVP. Murphy finished 2021 ranked fourth in the CCIW in sacks, tied for fourth in forced fumbles, and ninth in TFLs.
    Hamilton was one of the top receivers in the CCIW last season. In 10 games, he hauled in 798 yards on 52 catches, including a team-best eight touchdowns. He posted four 100-yard receiving games and finished fifth in the conference in yards per game, sixth in total receiving yards, and eighth in receiving TDs. The Springfield, Ill. native was also a Second Team All-CCIW pick.

LONGEVITY IN LEADERSHIP: Illinois Wesleyan Head Coach Norm Eash is one of the longest tenured head coaches in all of Division III. Now in his 36th season at the helm of the Titans, Eash is the second-longest tenured head coach in the nation behind only Rick Giancola (Montclair St. - 40 seasons).

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Last season, the Titans started five seniors on the offensive line and had one of the most experienced o-lines in the nation. This season, the Titans will welcome five new faces to the top of the OL depth chart. Junior Connor Sweeney has assumed duties at center, with freshman Alejandro Valdez and sophomore Dylan Meyer playing left tackle and left guard, respectively. Seniors Holden Smith and Jackson Joyce are in the mix for right guard, while sophomore Caleb Heims will take over the role of right tackle.

CCIW PRESEASON POLL: Illinois Wesleyan was predicted to finish sixth in the annual CCIW Preseason Coaches Poll. IWU's 45 points were behind North Central (81), Wheaton (73), WashU (63), Augustana (47) and Carroll (47).

SIDELINE ADDITIONS: The Green and White welcome two new coaching additions for the 2022 season. Dru Richardson will serve as an assistant coach for defensive backs, while Mike Yarosz is a graduate assistant primarily working with wide receivers.
Richardson previously coached at Berry College and Ohio Northern University, as well as Roosevelt University-Chicago. Most recently, he was the defensive backs coach at Berry, where he also ran the strength and conditioning program.
    Yarosz got his coaching start at his alma mater, William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. There, he served as an assistant coach working with the quarterbacks, wide receivers, defensive line, and special teams throughout his tenure. He is currently pursuing his master's degree at Illinois State University.

ON THE HORIZON: In week three of the Division III football season, Illinois Wesleyan travels to Wheaton, Ill. for its College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener against No. 8 Wheaton College. Kickoff for the CCIW clash is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17.