Eight Titans Named CSC Academic All-District

Hlavacek advances to Academic All-America ballot

1/7/2025 11:00:00 AM

CSC Academic All-District Release (PDF)

GREENFIELD, Ind. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team saw a program-record eight student-athletes recognized as part of the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team announced by the organization Tuesday, Jan. 7. IWU's selections tied for the most in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

Reeling in the honor for the Green and White were seniors Jimmy Capecci (Springfield, Ill.-Sacred Heart-Griffin), Peyton Feldman (Chillicothe, Ill.-Illinois Valley Central), Josh Hlavacek (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield North), Joshua McMillin (Hanna City, Ill.-Farmington Central), and Sam Schott (West Lafayette, Ind.-West Lafayette), junior Collin Elledge (Bethalto, Ill.-Civic Memorial), and sophomores Jimmy Deacy (Chicago, Ill.-Mount Carmel) and John Gavin (Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Prospect). Cappecci, Feldman, Hlavacek, and Schott earn the honor for the second straight year, while McMillin, Elledge, Deacy, and Gavin are first-time awardees.

Hlavacek, who will advance to the ballot for Academic All-America, was a First Team All-CCIW performer on the defensive line. The Plainfield, Ill. native was named to the D3football.com All-Region 5 Third Team after a season in which he posted a career-high 41 tackles with nine tackles for loss, five sacks, and six quarterback hurries. A co-captain for the Titans, he notched a season-high nine tackles at Central, Sept. 7, and posted two TFLs and two sacks at Elmhurst, Sept. 21, both of which were season-bests. He holds a 3.74 grade point average as a biology major.

A native of Springfield, Ill., Capecci made 21 stops over 10 games in his final season donning the Green and White. He added three pass breakups and two interceptions. He posted a season-high six tackles in games against WashU (Oct. 5) and Wheaton (Oct. 12), while his picks came against Elmhurst (Sept. 21) and Carthage (Sept. 28). Cappeci owns a 3.76 GPA as a biology major.

Feldman and McMillin helped lead the blocking efforts for the Titan run game. Feldman, an offensive lineman, and McMillin, a blocking tight end, were critical pieces to IWU's much-improved rushing attack. Illinois Wesleyan finished the season ranked 79th nationally and third in the CCIW in rushing offense with 160.5 yards per game, while the Titans were slotted 34th across Division III in fewest sacks allowed.

Feldman boasts a 4.00 grade point average as a biology and kinesiology and allied health double major, while McMillin carries a 3.92 GPA as a biology major.

Schott, a co-captain for the Titans, finished third on the team with 59 tackles. He posted 36 solo stops and assisted on 23 others, while adding 5.5 TFLs and a sack. Schott was credited with two quarterback hurries. He posted double-digit tackles twice - recording 11 at Central, Sept. 7, and then 10 against Augustana, Nov. 2, while notching a season-high two TFLs at Elmhurst, Sept. 21. He graduated this December with a degree in mathematics with a 3.97 grade point average.

Elledge put together a career year for the Titans, hauling in 12 catches for 138 yards with four touchdowns. He finished second on the team in receiving TDs, hauling in scores in IWU's first three games of the season. The Bethalto, Ill. native carries a 3.81 grade point average and is set to graduate a year early with a degree in finance.

Deacy, an entrepreneurship major with a 3.51 GPA, emerged as one of Illinois Wesleyan's go-to's in the passing game. He racked up 547 receiving yards on 41 catches, both of which ranked second on the team, while adding a touchdown. The Chicago native finished the season with career-highs of nine catches and 153 receiving yards against No. 1 North Central, Nov. 16.

Gavin played in all 10 games for the Green and White, putting together a strong sophomore season. He finished second on the team with 60 tackles, including three for loss, and a sack. Gavin tallied three quarterback hurries, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery. He accrued a career-high 14 tackles in IWU's season-opener at Central, Sept. 7, and notched a career-best 1.5 TFLs against WashU, Oct. 5. He holds a 3.57 GPA as a finance major.

Illinois Wesleyan finished the season with a 5-5 overall record and a 5-4 mark in CCIW games under the 38th and final season for longtime head coach Norm Eash. The Titans now look ahead to a new era of IWU football under the direction of newly named head coach Jared Williamson.

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