NAPERVILLE — Four standout performances highlighted last Saturday’s College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) football action, as North Central’s Donovan McNeal was named Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week, Illinois Wesleyan’s Ian Whitaker and North Park’s DJ Johnson shared Co-Defensive honors, and North Central’s Myles Walton earned the Special Teams award.
 
Offensive: Donovan McNeal, North Central
McNeal rushed 16 times for 125 yards and a pair of touchdowns in North Central’s 64-7 win at Carroll on Saturday. All of McNeal’s yardage came in the game’s first three quarters. The sophomore from Waukegan, Ill. leads the league with 726 rushing yards in 2025.
 
Co-Defensive: Ian Whitaker, Illinois Wesleyan
Whitaker was all over the place for the Titans at Augustana, racking up a career-high 11 tackles to go along with a career-best four tackles for loss. He also notched a strip sack. Whitaker’s 11 tackles, the most by a Titan this season, were eight solo stops and six assisted. His 4.0 TFLs were a career high.
 
Co-Defensive: DJ Johnson, North Park
Johnson, a sophomore from Phoenix, Ariz., had one the two scores that North Park had in their 14-10 victory over Carthage on Saturday. He took a pick-6 59 yards for a touchdown and ended the game with five total tackles, two pass breakups, and a quarterback hurry.
 
Special Teams: Myles Walton, North Central
The Homewood, Ill. native scored a 51-yard punt return for a touchdown in NCC’s win at Carroll. Walton had three punt returns for 76 yards in total, the most in the CCIW this week.

2025 CCIW Football Student-Athletes of the Week
Offensive
Nov. 3: Donovan McNeal, North Central
Oct. 27: Thomas Skokna, North Central
Oct. 20: Dermot Smyth, Illinois Wesleyan
Oct. 13: Thomas Skokna, North Central
Oct. 6: Fred Ware, WashU
Sept. 29: Dermot Smyth, Illinois Wesleyan
Sept. 22: Garret Wilson, North Central
Sept. 15: Jereme Ombogo, North Park

Defensive
Nov. 3: Ian Whitaker, Illinois Wesleyan; DJ Johnson, North Park
Oct. 27: Zeke Harris, Wheaton
Oct. 20: Toby Splitt, Augustana
Oct. 13: Brady WIllmer, WashU
Oct. 6: Bobby Medina, North Central
Sept. 29: Colin Moore, Wheaton
Sept. 22: Rex Kroger, Wheaton
Sept. 15: Alex Araiza, Millikin

Special Teams
Nov. 3: Myles Walton, North Central
Oct. 27: Will Nazha, Illinois Wesleyan
Oct. 20: Matt Worthington, Illinois Wesleyan
Oct. 13: Matthew Swink, Carroll; Aidan Ellison, North Central
Oct. 6: Matias Adrogue, WashU
Sept. 29: Aidan Ellison, North Central
Sept. 22: Matthew Swink, Carroll
Sept. 15: Wesley McCloud, North Park