NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) announced today the 2021-22 Merle Chapman Leadership Award recipients.

This award is named after the former Millikin Athletics Director and the CCIW's second commissioner, who served in that capacity from 1997-2002. The award identifies the student-athletes that best exemplify the traits that Chapman displayed and encouraged during his three-plus decades of service as teacher, coach and mentor to the athletes, coaches and administrators of the CCIW. Those traits are loyalty, enthusiasm, leadership, sportsmanship, and a commitment to academic, athletic and personal excellence.
 
Each CCIW institution selects one men's and one women's student-athlete from their Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) who participates in a CCIW-sponsored sport.

Visit here for a list of past Merle Chapman Leadership Award recipients.

2021-22 Merle Chapman Award Winners

Augustana
Kate Hettiger (Sr. Women's Lacrosse) - Bio (Tie)
Janna George (Jr., Softball) - Bio (Tie)
Jacob Brooks (Jr., Football) - Bio

Carroll
Brooke Wills (Jr., Women's Swimming & Diving) - Bio
David Burgess (Sr., Men's Track & Field) - Bio

Carthage
Elise Merucci (Sr., Women's Swimming & Diving) - Bio
Garrett Shuldes (Sr., Men's Swimming & Diving) - Bio

Elmhurst
Emily Finkbeiner (Sr., Women's Volleyball) - Bio
Colton Kraus (Jr., Football) - Bio

Illinois Wesleyan
Colleen Palczynski (Sr., Softball) - Bio
Paul Mucci (Sr., Men's Lacrosse) - Bio

Millikin
Miranda Fox (Jr., Women's Basketball) - Bio
Ben Kuxmann (Sr., Men's XC/Track & Field) - Bio

North Central
Bry'Shawna Walker (Sr., Women's Lacrosse) - Bio
Jack Moran (Jr., Men's Lacrosse) - Bio

North Park
Alyssa Aragon (Sr., Softball) - Bio
Ben Urchell (Jr., Football) - Bio

Wheaton
Bethany Hoogerheide (Sr., Women's Tennis) - Bio 
Colin Swanson (Sr., Men's Track & Field) - Bio
   
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, IL), Carroll University (Waukesha, WI), Carthage College (Kenosha, WI), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, IL), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL), Millikin University (Decatur, IL), North Central College (Naperville, IL), North Park University (Chicago, IL) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL).