Football Lands Four on All-CCIW Team

Kee & McNees earn first team nods, Benjamin & Graham on second team

11/14/2023 11:50:00 AM

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team landed four student-athletes on the All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin teams announced by the league office Tuesday morning, Nov. 14. Juniors Myles Kee (St. Louis, Mo.-Priory) and Zach McNees (Hillsboro, Mo.-Hillsboro) were First Team All-CCIW selections, while fifth-year Kevin Graham (St. Johns, Ind.-Shepard) and junior Artist Benjamin (Wilmette, Ill.-Loyola Academy) garnered Second Team All-CCIW honors.

Illinois Wesleyan's four all-conference honorees are the most by the Titans since 2021. Additionally, senior Seth Albin (Midlothian, Ill.-Oak Forest) was named IWU's recipient of the CCIW RESPECT Award.

Kee, one of the most explosive wide receivers in the conference, topped the team in receptions and yards. Kee posted career-highs of 55 catches and 716 receiving yards, while also tallying five touchdowns. He recorded three 100-yard receiving games, including a season-high 158 yards receiving against top-ranked North Central, Nov. 4. Kee's other top performances came at Carroll (nine catches - 145 yards), Sept. 23, and versus Carthage (11 catches - 139 yards - two TDs). For the season, Kee finished fifth in the league with 71.1 receiving yards per game, while he was fourth in the league in receptions.

One of the top defensive linemen in Division III, McNees wreaked havoc behind the line of scrimmage in a breakout junior season. The Hillsboro, Mo. product produced a league-leading 20.5 tackles for loss, the fifth-most nationally throughout the regular season. He also tied for the league-lead with nine sacks and was tied for 11th in passes defended with seven. A two-time CCIW Defensive Player of the Week, McNees forced two fumbles and accrued 46 tackles on the season.

Graham, a tight end for the Titans, led the Titans in receiving touchdowns in 2023. The St. Johns, Ind. native hauled in 29 passes for 238 yards, with a team-best six touchdowns. He caught four passes for a season-high 60 yards with two TDs at Carroll, Sept. 23. Graham also posted a two-score game against Carthage, Oct. 21.

A ball hawk, Benjamin put together another solid season for the Titans at defensive back. He recorded 43 tackles on the year, 33 of which were solo stops, to go along with a tackle for loss. Benjamin broke up 13 passes on the year, while intercepting two passes and recovering a fumble. His 15 total passes defended were tied for the most in the CCIW. The junior returned an INT 41 yards for a touchdown, his second career pick-six, against Elmhurst, Nov. 11.

CCIW Bob Reade Coach of the Year
Brad Spencer, North Central

CCIW Art Keller Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Luke Lehnen, North Central

CCIW Don Larson Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Martin Egbo, North Central

CCIW Offensive Line Student-Athlete of the Year
Jeske Maples, North Central

CCIW First-Year Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Seth Kortenhoeven, Wheaton

CCIW First-Year Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Jahkai Bohannon, Carroll

CCIW Elite 26 Award Recipients
Bobby Behmer, North Central
Joey Dugo, North Central
JJ Ruff, Wheaton

All-CCIW First Team Offense
QB, Josh Raby, Carroll, Sr., Algonquin, Ill., Dundee-Crown
QB, Luke Lehnen, North Central, Jr., Chatham, Ill., Glenwood
RB, Joe Sacco, North Central, Jr., Bartlett, Ill., St. Edward
RB, Giovanni Weeks, Wheaton, Sr., Kent City, Mich., Kent City
WR, Austin Eichstaedt, Carroll, Sr., Cudahy, Wis., Cudahy
WR, Myles Kee, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., St. Louis Priory
WR, DeAngelo Hardy, North Central, Sr., Lake Villa, Ill., Lakes
WR, Collin Goldberg, WashU, Jr., Atlanta, Ga., The Lovett School
WR, Ben Bonga, Wheaton, Jr., Brentwood, Tenn., Ravenwood
WR, Seth Kortenhoeven, Wheaton, So., Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton North
TE, Bobby Behmer, North Central, Jr., Rockford, Ill., Rockford Lutheran
OL, Jeske Maples, North Central, Jr., Moweaqua, Ill., Central A&M
OL, Sam Pryor, North Central, Jr., Sugar Grove, Ill., Kaneland
OL, Jarod Thornton, North Central, Sr., Homewood, Ill., Homewood-Flossmoor
OL, Paul Fay, Wheaton, Sr., Roscoe, Ill., Hononegah
OL, Trevor Gabriele, Wheaton, Sr., Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton North

All-CCIW First Team Defense
DL, Nick Mantas, Carroll, Sr., Northbrook, Ill., Glenbrook North
DL, Zach McNees, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., Hillsboro, Mo., Hillsboro
DL, Martin Egbo, North Central, Sr., Caraopolis, Pa., Lafayette
DL, Will Kettelkamp, North Central, Sr., Taylorville, Ill., Taylorville
DL, Peter Johanik, Wheaton, So., West Chicago, Ill., Wheaton Academy
LB, Tim Swaney, Augustana, Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio, Anderson
LB, Chris DiVito, Carthage, Sr., Arlington Heights, Ill., Rollings Meadows
LB, Bryce Gable, Elmhurst, Gr., Grandville, Mich., Grandville
LB, BJ Adamchik, North Central, Jr., Raleigh, N.C., Leesville Road
LB, Jaydin Miller, North Park, Jr., South Bend, Ind., Sound Bend Adams
DB, Julian Bell, North Central, Sr., Oswego, Ill., Oswego
DB, Antwain Walker, North Central, Sr., Oswego, Ill., Oswego East
DB, Bradley Hamilton, WashU, Gr., High Ridge, Mo., Rockwood Summit
DB, Max Wilson, Wheaton, Jr., Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton-Warrenville South

All-CCIW First Team Specialists
RS, Joey Lombardi, North Central, Sr., Chicago, Ill., St. Patrick
K, Jacob Laurent, Carroll, Sr., Kenosha, Wis., Indian Trail
P, Noah Streveler, Carroll, Jr., Stevens Point, Wis., Stevens Point Area

All-CCIW Second Team Offense
QB, Ben Thorson, Wheaton, Sr., Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton Academy
RB, Tyler Rivelli, Augustana, Sr., Bartlett, Ill., Bartlett
RB, Kenneth Hamilton, WashU, Jr., High Ridge, Mo., Christian Brothers College High School
WR, Bobby Inserra, Augustana, Sr., Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South
WR, Jordan Wiles, Carthage, Sr., Rolling Meadows, Ill., Rolling Meadows
WR, Joey Lombardi, North Central, Chicago, Ill., St. Patrick
WR, AJ Harris, North Park, Sr., Chicago, Ill. Hubbard
WR, Gabriel Sirek, WashU, Sr., Mendota Heights, Minn., St. Thomas Academy
TE, Reed Breckheimer, Carroll, So., Hilbert, Wis., Hilbert
TE, RJ Anderson, Elmhurst, Sr., Algonquin, Ill., Jacobs
TE, Kevin Graham, Illinois Wesleyan, Sr., St. John's, Ind., Shepard
TE, Ben Juska, Wheaton, Jr., Westmont, Ill., Westmont
OL, Brayden Macdonald, Augustana, Sr., DeKalb, Ill., DeKalb
OL, Cain Johnson, Augustana, Sr., Galesburg, Ill., Galesburg
OL, Kevin Whittmon, Carroll, Jr., Chicago, Ill., South Shore
OL, Zach Fortier, North Central, Sr., Oak Forest, Ill., Sandburg
OL, Brendan Mayo, WashU, Jr., Merritt Island, Fla, Merritt Island
OL, Aidan Kingsbury, Wheaton, Jr., Roseville, Minn., Concordia Academy
OL, Elijah Nitz, Wheaton, Sr., Rockford, Ill., Rockford Christian

All-CCIW Second Team Defense
DL, Chase Tatum, Augustana, Sr., Princeton, Ill., Princeton
DL, Steven Lazaris, Carroll, Jr., Colgate, Wis., Hartford
DL, Christopher Montgomery, Millikin, Sr., Chicago, Ill., Gary Comer Prep
DL, Jonathan Thomas, North Park, So., Sound Bend, Ind., Mishawaka
DL, Nate Light, WashU, Jr., Jonesboro, Ark., Jonesboro
LB, Will Campbell, Carroll, So., Kaukauna, Wis., Kaukauna
LB, Damon Loker, Carroll, Jr., Kimberly, Wis., Kimberly
LB, Garrett Warner, Carthage, Sr., Richland, Mich., Hackett Catholic Prep
LB, Angelo Cusumano, North Central, Jr., Carol Stream, Ill., Glenbard North
LB, Juan Nieves, North Park, Jr., Carrollton, Ga., Carrollton
LB, Matthew Schmal, WashU, Gr., Atlanta, Ga., The Westminster Schools
LB, Caleb McClung, Wheaton, Jr., Roswell, Ga., Fellowship Christian School
DB, Nick Harper, Augustana, Sr., Hickory Hills, Ill., Stagg
DB, Darren Oregon, Augustana, So., Aurora, Ill., Oswego East
DB, Connor Devries, Elmhurst, Jr., Lawton, Mich., Lawton
DB, Artist Benjamin, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., Wilmette, Ill., Loyola Academy
DB, Devin Williams, Millikin, Fr., Shreveport, La., Southwood
DB, Zack Orr, North Central, Jr., Mokena, Ill., Lincoln-Way Central
DB, Jason Adkinson, North Park, Jr., Glendale, Ariz., Ironwood

CCIW RESPECT Award Recipients
Magnus Wells, Augustana, So., Hillsboro, Ill., Hillsboro
Trevor Hancock, Carroll, Jr., Waterford, Wis., Waterford
Gibson Groves, Carthage, Sr., Johnsburg, Ill., Johnsburg
Antonio Carillo, Elmhurst, Sr., Elmhurst, Ill., York
Seth Albin, Illinois Wesleyan, Sr., Midlothian, Ill., Oak Forest
Aidan Lombardo, Millikin, Jr., Lisle, Ill., Lisle
Nic Rummell, North Central, Sr., Gilberts, Ill., Hampshire
Joseph Kalas, North Park, Jr., Las Vegas, Nev., Pala Verde
Johnathan Smith, WashU, Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D., Lincoln
Riley Schwartz, Wheaton, Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., Faith Lutheran

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