Football Announces Team Captains for 2024

Eash announces team captains for upcoming season

7/3/2024 12:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team voted on its team captains for the upcoming 2024 season following the conclusion of spring ball back in April. Leading the Green and White this year will be seniors Artist Benjamin (Wilmette, Ill.-Loyola Academy), Josh Hlavacek (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield North), Dylan Meyer (Minooka, Ill.-Minooka), Sam Schott (West Lafayette, Ind.-West Lafayette), Frank Roti (Orland Hills, Ill.-Andrew), and junior Jahari Scott (Lake Bluff, Ill.-Lake Forest).

A game-altering presence in the secondary, Benjamin is coming off an All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin campaign. He accrued 43 tackles, one for loss, and led the team with 13 pass breakups. He hauled in two interceptions, the most on the team, and added a fumble recovery.

Hlavacek, who has garnered All-CCIW and D3football.com All-Region accolades, has twice been named the CCIW's Defensive Player of the Week. He was named the team's "Best Lineman" and "Defensive MVP" in 2022, while also garnering College Sports Communicators Academic All-District status twice. He tallied 30 tackles in 2023, with eight for loss and four sacks. He added a team-leading six quarterback hurries.

Meyer, a three-year letterwinner on the offensive line, started all 10 games as a junior. He led an offensive line unit that blocked for four different quarterbacks throughout the 2023 season and helped pave the way for 1555 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs.

A leader on the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker for the Titans, Schott finished second on the team with 68 tackles last season. He totaled seven tackles for loss, while adding a pair of sacks, two pass breakups, and recovering a fumble. Starting all 10 games for the Green and White, posted a career-high 12 tackles twice throughout the season.

Roti is a three-year starter for the Green and White. Last season, he recorded 49 tackles, 31 solo and 18 assisted, with 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Roti hauled in one interception to go along with a forced fumble and a recovered fumble. In his first season as a Titan, Roti was recognized as IWU's "Most Valuable Freshman." He has also reeled in D3football.com Team of the Week distinctions.

Scott, a difference maker on special teams, was voted the team's "Best Special Teams Player" and garnered All-American honors from D3football.com in 2023. He played in all 10 games for the Green and White a season ago. Scott returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns this season. He also blocked two kicks, one of which was a punt he housed against North Park, Oct. 14. When he was not pressuring kickers, Scott racked up 12 tackles, including nine solo stops to pace IWU's special teams unit. Scott was selected as the CCIW Special Teams Player of the Week, Oct. 30. He also added 68 rushing yards on 15 carries with a touchdown.

Illinois Wesleyan will officially begin its 2024 season with a two-game road stint. The Titans open the year at Central College Saturday, Sept. 7, with a 1 p.m. kickoff in Pella, Iowa. IWU then travels to Elmhurst University, Sept. 21, before hosting Carthage College, Sept. 28.

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