NAPERVILLE, Ill. - North Park University’s Bastian Eikeland and Augustana College’s Elias Banke each turned in excellent performances this past week to earn College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Men’s Soccer Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week recognition.

An Eikeland brace kept North Park in the race for the top spot in the CCIW, while Banke provided the defensive backbone in two Augustana wins that lifted the team’s postseason aspirations.

Offensive

Bastian Eikeland, North Park (Midfielder, Junior, Stavanger, Norway)

North Park was only in action once last week, but it was a massive clash with fellow CCIW co-leader, North Central. After NPU headed to the halftime break down, 1-0, Eikeland scored three minutes into the second half and then again in the 63rd minute to stake the Vikings to a 2-1 lead. Though the Cardinals would level the score less than four minutes later, the match ended in a 2-2 draw that kept both teams neck and neck as the stretch run heats up. Eikeland finished the match with six shots, putting five of them on frame.

Defensive

Elias Banke, Augustana (Goalkeeper, Freshman, Ystad, Sweden)

Road victories last week at Elmhurst and Millikin moved Augustana up in the standings and as things stand right now, would have the Vikings in the CCIW Tournament. Banke made eight saves in a 3-1 win over the Bluejays midweek, then notched his fourth shutout of the season with four saves in a 3-0 triumph over the Big Blue.

2026 CCIW Men’s Soccer Student-Athletes of the Week
Offensive
Sept. 8 - Joseph Sargent, North Central
Sept. 15 - Bryce Davis, Millikin
Sept. 22 - Faheem Mujahid, Illinois Wesleyan
Sept. 29 - Gustav Finér, North Park 
Oct. 6 - Luke Vander Kolk, Wheaton
Oct. 13 - Cooper Falling, Wheaton

Defensive
Sept. 8 - Owen Malinowski, Carthage
Sept. 15 - Arvid Skoglund, North Park
Sept. 22 - David Tracewicz, North Park
Sept. 29 - Joshua Garrett, Millikin
Oct. 6 - Melker Regland, North Park
Oct. 13 - Owen Boukalik, Illinois Wesleyan
 

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The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).