Sports News

CoSIDA recognizes four student-athletes

North Central College had four student-athletes earn College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) NCAA Division III Academic All-America honors last spring in recognition of continued adherence to the highest standards of excellence in academics as well as athletics. Nominees must carry a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.30.

Cardinals earning this distinction last spring were Jake Beesley ’22 and Ben Wong ’22 from the football program, Luke Lamm ’22 from the baseball program and Gabe Pommier ’22 from the men’s cross country and track and field programs.

A neuroscience major, Wong is an Academic All-American for the second straight season. Wong earned First Team All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) selection in 2019 and is a three-time Academic All-CCIW honoree.

A double major in finance and accounting, Beesley earned First Team All-CCIW and All-North Region honors as well as a First Team All-America selection by the Associated Press. A three-time Academic All-Conference pick, Beesley was a CCIW Jack Swartz Academic AllConference selection in 2019.

An accounting major, Lamm is a three-time Academic All-CCIW selection and was North Central’s Spring 2021 Jack Swartz Award recipient. Lamm was also named CCIW Pitcher of the Year and was selected First Team All-CCIW.

Pommier, an environmental studies major, won the 66th individual national championship in the men’s track and field program in the 1,500-meter run. His time ranks second in North Central's history and is fifthfastest in the history of the national championship meet.

North Central student-athletes have received a total of 42 CoSIDA Academic All-America awards, 15 of which have been achieved in the last five years.

CARDINAL WRESTLERS EXCEL ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

Continuing to take the women’s wrestling world by storm, Yelena Makoyed ’23 took home the gold medal in June at the United World Wrestling Cadet & Junior Pan American Championships in Oaxtepec, Mexico, dominating the competition by pinning all three of her opponents in the 76kg bracket.

The College’s first national champion in women’s wrestling, Makoyed qualified to represent Team USA in the Pan-Am Championships after finishing runner-up at the USA Wrestling Junior World Team Trials in May.

In the first two seasons of the women’s wrestling program at North Central, Makoyed is a two-time All-American, two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American, 2021 national champion, Junior National Team member and Pan-Am Championship Gold Medal winner.

In addition, in September both Makoyed and Amanda Martinez ’21 qualified for USA Wrestling’s World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb., as they each earned the No. 3 seed in their respective weight classes. To qualify for the World Trials, both wrestlers finished in the top eight at the Olympic Trials in April. Martinez, now the graduate assistant women’s wrestling coach at North Central, competed in the 55kg division while Makoyed wrestled in the 72kg weight class.

MEN’S SOCCER SHOOTS TO 13TH IN NATIONAL RANKING

After an undefeated start to their season, the North Central College men’s soccer team appeared in the d3soccer.com rankings for the first time in program history. The Cardinals were ranked 13th in the nation following the week three installment of the poll, released on September 21. The team’s nine-game winning streak at the time was the longest since 1987.

Head coach Enzo Fuschino won his 150th career game following the Cardinals 2-0 victory over Aurora University on September 26. Since joining the coaching staff on February 19, 2019, he has put together a 21-5-4 record at North Central.

TRIATHLETE CONTINUES TO EARN NCAA RECOGNITION

Triathlon student-athlete Naomi Hill ’21 has been selected as one of 30 finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, which honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions. Hill graduated with a degree in psychology and behavioral neuroscience in May.

Hill is the first Cardinal to advance to the final stage, which recognizes 10 student-athletes from each division. Hill was also selected as one of 42 fall student-athletes from the fall 2020 season to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

CARDINAL FOOTBALL CLAIMS LITTLE BRASS BELL AND NO. 1 RANKING

The Cardinals turned in a gritty, stubborn defensive effort to win their CCIW opener over Wheaton College, 20-7, on September 18. The victory gave North Central possession of the Little Brass Bell, the traveling trophy between the two rivals, for the first time since 2016. Following the win at Wheaton, the Cardinals were rewarded with their first-ever regularseason national No. 1 ranking in the D3football.com Top 25 Poll. For the latest results and news about the football program and all 27 North Central athletic teams, visit northcentralcardinals.com or download the North Central College Athletics app.

WOMEN’S TENNIS DUO BREAKS PROGRAM RECORD FOR CAREER WINS

Hannah Hougland ’22 and Alaina Kanthaphixay ’22 of the women's tennis team broke the program record for career wins in doubles play. Since they began playing together during the 2018-2019 season, the duo is 54-19 all-time as partners. As of September 21, they have started 6-0 at the No. 1 doubles position while leading the Cardinals to a 7-0 overall record.