BLOOMINGTON, Ill - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team welcomes Wheaton College to Tucci Stadium this weekend, Sept. 16. Kickoff of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opener is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Tucci Stadium.
The Titans (0-1) look to get into the win column following a, 38-13, season-opening setback at the hands of Central College at home, Sept. 9. Meanwhile, the Thunder (1-0) travel to Tucci following a 30-21 victory over University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Sept. 9.
Fans can tune into a video broadcast with Eric Stock calling the action on the field alongside Joel Swanson, while live stats will also be available for the contest. Links can be found on the football schedule page of iwusports.com.
CCIW OPENERS: The Titans are 22-13 in CCIW openers under head coach Norm Eash, including a 10-game winning streak from 1995-2004. The last time the Titans won a conference opener was in 2018, when Illinois Wesleyan took down Wheaton, 24-14, at Tucci Stadium.
ALL-TIME CLASHES WITH THE THUNDER: In a series dating back to 1922, Wheaton holds a 36-29-2 all-time advantage over the Green and White. The Titans last defeated the Thunder on Sept. 15, 2018 at Tucci Stadium, 24-14.
RAN IT BACK: In Illinois Wesleyan's season-opener against Central, Seth Albin housed a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to reel in CCIW Special Teams Player of the Week accolades. The 99-yard return is tied for the second-longest in program history. It marks the longest kickoff return by a Titan since Artie Checchin went endzone-to-endzone for a 100-yard return in 2014.
No stranger to big plays on special teams, it is the second kickoff return for a TD in Albin's career. He previously took one 90 yards for a score in IWU's rout of Elmhurst during the 2021 season.
TOOK IT TO THE HOUSE: With his kickoff return for a touchdown in IWU's opener, Seth Albin joined good company. In fact, he became the third Titan in more than 50 years to record to kickoff returns for touchdowns. Albin joins former IWU standouts Chris Bisaillon (1989-92) and Maurice Gilmore-Shoemaker (2015-16) with multiple kickoff returns for touchdowns throughout their Titan careers.
COULD BE KEE: Illinois Wesleyan junior wide receiver Myles Kee was a highlight of last season's IWU-Wheaton clash, as the then-sophomore hauled in 12 catches for 168 yards in the contest. Kee, the top Titan receiver in the last week's opener, posted game-highs in both receptions and receiving yards a year ago.
HOME COOKING: The Titans are 125-51 (.710) at home since Norm Eash became head coach in 1987. IWU has won 24 of its past 31 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, including a 5-1 mark last season.
WINNING TRADITION: Veteran head coach Norm Eash is one of just two active coaches nationally in NCAA Division III with 200-or-more career wins. Eash, who has won 225 games as the head man at his alma mater, ranks second in the country among active Division III head coaches. Across all NCAA divisions, Eash is seventh trailing Alabama's Nick Saban (281), North Carolina's Mack Brown (275), Columbia's Al Bagnoli (274), LSU's Brian Kelly (273), Sam Houston's K.C. Keeler (259), and Bethel's Steve Johnson (244).
LONGEVITY IN LEADERSHIP: Illinois Wesleyan Head Coach Norm Eash is one of the longest tenured head coaches in all of college football across the NCAA. Now in his 36th season at the helm of the Titans, Eash is the second-longest tenured head coach in the nation behind only Al Bagnoli (Columbia - 40 seasons). Notably, of the most experienced coaches nationally, Eash is the only one with 34+ years of experience coming at one institution.
ON THE HORIZON: The Titans hit the road for the first time in the 2023 season next weekend, Sept. 23, with a trek to Waukesha, Wis. There, IWU will take on Carroll University in a 1 p.m. kickoff.
TEAM AWARDS - WEEK ONE: Zach McNees and Seth Albin were IWU's week one team MVPs as voted by the team. McNees was named Defensive MVP, with Albin garnering Special Teams MVP honors. Matt Hayland (offense), John Gavin (co-defense), and Joey Demaio (co-defense) were voted scout players of the week. Zach Hinds was the recipient of the Titan Award.
