Billy McHugh Defensive Player of the Week

McHugh Named CCIW Defensive Player of the Week

Earns first weekly award of career

2/17/2026 12:00:00 PM

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Senior Billy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) of the Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week, announced by the league Tuesday, Feb. 17. It is the first weekly honor of McHugh's career, and the first defensive weekly winner for IWU since Nick Horrocks earned the accolade April 15, 2025.

McHugh helped lead Illinois Wesleyan to a 1-1 week. The defender tallied one goal and an assist for two points, seven caused turnovers, an average of 3.5 per game, and six ground balls, averaging three per game.

The defender opened his senior season with a man-down goal, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers in the 11-10 win over Colorado College Friday night, Feb. 13. The senior followed with an assist, as he found his brother Timothy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) for a goal, three ground balls, and tied his career-high of five caused turnovers in the game against Southwestern University Sunday, Feb. 15. The senior led a defense that set the program's single-game caused turnovers record, as the Titans totaled 32 forced errors in the contest.

McHugh and the Titans return to action Saturday, Feb. 21. IWU hosts Aurora University for a 2 p.m. start.

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