NCC Update: Volleyball and Soccer Players Earn CCIW Honors

North Central College sophomore setter Ryan Lally was named to the All-CCIW Volleyball Second Team Tuesday.

The Downers Grove North graduate earned her second consecutive all-second team nod after being named the CCIW Freshman of the Year last year. She started all 35 matches for the Cardinals as they went 14-21. Her 1,290 assists rank fourth all-time in North Central's single-season record book.

Junior outside hitter Crystal Wright from Lake Zurich was named to the honorable mention list. She led the team with 280 kills.

Neuqua Valley graduate Michelle Madeja, a junior outside hitter at Carthage, was named the CCIW Player of the Year. Naperville Central graduate Courtney Jungnickel, a senior outside hitter for Augustana, also was named to the All-CCIW First Team. Waubonsie Valley grad Cindy Cavanagh, a junior middle hitter for Carthage, was named to the second team.

* North Central's men's soccer team had two players honored by the CCIW Tuesday.

Junior defender Paul Box, a Neuqua Valley graduate, was named to the second team. He started 17 of the team's 18 matches and had a goal and two assists. Junior goalie Phillip Klipp also was named to the second team.

The Cardinals finished 5-10-3.

* In the aftermath of Saturday's 28-6 win over previously unbeaten Wheaton College, the North Central football team remained unbeaten at 9-0 and clinched a playoff berth and at least a share of the CCIW title.

Monday, the Cardinals learned that they remain at No. 5 in the D3football.com poll and No. 6 in the coaches' poll after the win.

Linebacker Scott Wenger was honored as he continues his stellar season anchoring the Cardinals' defense. For the third time this season, Wenger was named the CCIW Defensive Football Player of the Week. He had a game-high 13 tackles Saturday, including two tackles for loss, and forced a fumble as the Cardinals retained the Little Brass Bell.

The regular season wraps up at 1 p.m. Saturday at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium with Senior Day against North Park. The game will be broadcast live on 89.1 FM WONC.

* North Central senior Sam Sweeney is ranked as the Central Region's top-ranked singles player and No. 5 nationally in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association preseason rankings, which were released last week.

Sweeney is coming off his second consecutive CCIW No. 1 singles title and an All-American nod for advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championships.

* The Cardinals' women's basketball team opened last week with an 86-47 loss in exhibition play at Division I Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Jackie Errico led North Central with 14 points and nine rebounds.

The North Central women open regular-season play Monday against the University of Chicago.