Four Titans Named CSC Academic All-District

First career recognitions for Zunkel, Johnson, Frank, & DeMaio

1/6/2026 11:00:00 AM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University football team saw four named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team released by the organization Tuesday, Jan. 6. Earning the recognition for the Titans were senior Luke Zunkel (McHenry, Ill.-McHenry West) and juniors Hardy Johnson (Chicago, Ill.-St. Rita), Nathan Frank (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-Hoffman Estates), and Joey DeMaio (Woodridge, Ill.-Lemont).

Zunkel & Johnson were steady contributors on IWU's offensive line as both appeared in all 10 games for the Green and White. The duo led a unit that helped lead Illinois Wesleyan to the 41st-ranked red zone offense in Division III. The Titans averaged 399.0 yards of total offense per game and 32.0 points per contest in their first season under Jared Williamson, both good for the highest marks since 2018. Zunkel balanced the season as an education major, while maintaining a 3.77 grade point average. Johnson carries a 3.79 GPA as an economics major.

Frank, a starter in the secondary, made 30 tackles for IWU. He racked up six pass breakups, the second-most on the team, while adding in a pair of interceptions, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one quarterback hurry. A physics major with a 3.91 grade point average, Frank registered a career-high six tackles in games against Wheaton and Carroll, while his interceptions came at WashU and against the nationally-ranked Thunder.

DeMaio was the top tackler on IWU's defense in 2025, as the junior co-captain finished with a team-best 75.0 tackles. He notched four pass breakups and one tackle for loss. The Woodridge, Ill. native put up 10+ tackles in five games. He notched a career-high 14 stops against Carroll, Nov. 8. DeMaio owns a 3.60 GPA as a finance major.

Illinois Wesleyan went 4-6 overall in Jared Williamson's first year at the helm. The Titans will lose 11 seniors to graduation, while many key contributors are slated to return in 2026 including all three All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selections and three all-region picks.

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