Millikin University

Several Millikin athletes competed in NCAA Qualifying meets on May 13 in hopes of improving their chances of getting selected for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships later this month. Six athletes competed at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Big Blue senior Ben Kuxmann won the 800 Meters setting a new school record time of 1:49.19. Kuxmann entered the night with the seventh fastest time in the NCAA DIII this season. Pending other action today, Kuxmann's time should move him into the top five times in the country and safely in the NCAA Field. Jake Shumaker was seventh in the 800 Meters in 1:51.34, which is third fastest in school history. Shumaker should move into the top 20 times in NCAA Division III. Other Millikin Results Men's 400 Meters-Caleb Bleich: Sixth in 50.06 seconds Men's 200 Meters-Lee'Vonte Kelley: 16th in 22.90 seconds Women's 400 Meter Hurdles-Eryn Renison: Fifth in 1:05.56 Women's 800 Meters-Katie Risner: Eighth in 2:18.94 Women's 1500 Meters-Anne Longman: 15th in 5:33.59 Millikin's Quincy Collings and Hailey O'Malley competed in the 3000 Meters Steeplechase at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. Collings finished in fourth in 15:32.29 and O'Malley was 12th in 12:01.48.

Millikin sophomore pitcher Drew Detmers (Chatham, Chatman Glenwood H.S.) was Millikin's winner of the CCIW RESPECT Award. Detmers won the conference's RESPECT award which is presented at the conclusion of every sports season with each varsity program recognizing one student-athlete. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture. Millikin finished the regular season with a 26-14 overall record and went 11-7 in the CCIW earned the second seed in the CCIW Tournament that begins May 11th. The Big Blue face Carroll University in a first round game at 3 p.m.

Millikin's Keagan Brady and Carthage's Bryce Schaum were selected as the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Baseball Student-Athletes of the Week on May 10th. Brady, a junior outfielder from Charleston, Illinois and Lake Land College, batted .375 (5-for-16) with six runs, one double, two home runs, eight RBI and an .813 slugging percentage for the 4-2 Big Blue last week. He was 2-for-3 with two runs, one walk, four RBI and a three-run go-ahead home run in a 12-6 victory at Carthage on May 2. Brady was also 2-for-4 with two runs, one home run and three RBI in a 15-5 win over Elmhurst on May 7. Schaum, a freshman pitcher from Munster, Indiana and Munster High School, pitched a complete-game in a 9-1 win over 11th-ranked North Central on May 7 in the first game of a double header. He limited the Cardinals to one run on four hits, a walk and six strikeouts. Earlier in the week, Schaum pitched the first seven innings of a 3-2 win over Millikin. He allowed just two runs on six hits, four walks and four strikeouts, while earning a no decision. The Firebirds won the game on a P.J. Moser on a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, which was his second home run of the game.

Six Millikin University baseball players were selected to the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Baseball Team announced on May 11. The Big Blue had three First Team selections and three players earn Second Team honors. Freshman infielder Kyle Gibson (Niles, Niles West H.S.) was selected to the CCIW All-Conference Second Team. Gibson hit .326 with 26 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Millikin finished the regular season with a 26-14 overall record and went 11-7 in the CCIW earned the second seed in the CCIW Tournament that begins May 11th. The Big Blue face Carroll University in a first round game at 3 p.m.

Six Millikin University baseball players were selected to the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Baseball Team announced on May 11. The Big Blue had three First Team selections and three players earn Second Team honors. Senior catcher Garrett Fritz (Findlay, Okaw Valley H.S.) was selected to the CCIW All-Conference Second Team. Fritz was the Big Blue's top leading the team in average .336, home runs with five and RBI with 38. He hit .342 with 18 runs driven in conference contests. Millikin finished the regular season with a 26-14 overall record and went 11-7 in the CCIW earned the second seed in the CCIW Tournament that begins May 11th. The Big Blue face Carroll University in a first round game at 3 p.m.

Six Millikin University baseball players were selected to the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Baseball Team announced on May 11. The Big Blue had three First Team selections and three players earn Second Team honors. Senior outfielder Frank Bryan (Plainfield, Plainfield East H.S.) was selected to the CCIW All-Conference Second Team. Bryan hit .306 for the Big Blue with 32 RBI. He had three home runs and a team high 14 doubles. He was 11-11 in stolen base attempts. Bryan was a CCIW All-Conference First Team selection in 2021. Millikin finished the regular season with a 26-14 overall record and went 11-7 in the CCIW earned the second seed in the CCIW Tournament that begins May 11th. The Big Blue face Carroll University in a first round game at 3 p.m.

DECATUR, Illinois-Six Millikin University baseball players were selected to the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Baseball Team announced on May 11. The Big Blue had three First Team selections and three players earn Second Team honors. Millikin freshman Tyler Gade (Rochester, H.S.) was selected to the First Team as an outfielder and named the CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year. On the season, Gade hit .333 with 10 RBI and 17 stolen bases. Gade did his best work in CCIW contests where he led the conference in steals with 15 and hit .343. Millikin finished the regular season with a 26-14 overall record and went 11-7 in the CCIW earned the second seed in the CCIW Tournament that begins May 11th. The Big Blue face Carroll University in a first round game at 3 p.m.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 softball All-Conference squads and postseason awards on Thursday, May 5 ahead of the CCIW Tournament hosted at the Workman Family Softball Field. Sophomore Leah Foreman (Riverton, Ill.) was named to the second team. Foreman topped the conference in sacrifice flies with three. Foreman notched the third highest batting average of .392 on the season.

Six Millikin University baseball players were selected to the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Baseball Team announced on May 11. The Big Blue had three First Team selections and three players earn Second Team honors. Junior Caleb Buehrle (Wildwood, Mo., Saint John Vianney H.S.) was pitcher on the First Team. Buehrle was 8-4 on the season with a 3.79 ERA and 73 strikeouts. He led the CCIW in wins and innings pitched with 90.1. This marks second straight season to earn All-Conference First Team honors. Millikin finished the regular season with a 26-14 overall record and went 11-7 in the CCIW earned the second seed in the CCIW Tournament that begins May 11th. The Big Blue face Carroll University in a first round game at 3 p.m.

Six Millikin University baseball players were selected to the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Baseball Team announced on May 11. The Big Blue had three First Team selections and three players earn Second Team honors. Senior Tanner Coleman (Findlay, Okaw Valley H.S.) was named to the First Team as a utility player. Coleman who saw action at first base, designated hitter and pitcher had a .324 batting average with 26 RBI. In CCIW action he hit, .342. Coleman was 5-4 as a pitcher with one save and a 3.86 ERA. Millikin finished the regular season with a 26-14 overall record and went 11-7 in the CCIW earned the second seed in the CCIW Tournament that begins May 11th. The Big Blue face Carroll University in a first round game at 3 p.m.

The Millikin men's and women's track and field team finished in fifth place at the 2022 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois on May 6-7. The Millikin women scored 91.50 points while the Big Blue women scored 87 points. Athletes needed a top eight finish to earn All-Conference honors. In the men's competition, senior Ben Kuxmann was the CCIW Champion two events. He won in the 1500 Meters in a school record time of 3:53.73. Kuxmann was first in the 800 Meters in 1:52.34. Jake Shumaker finished in third in the 800 Meters in 1:54.13. Two Big Blue athletes earned All-Conference in the Long Jump with Marshun Hart finishing in third place at 6.69 meters and Caleb Bleich finished in seventh at 6.34 meters. Bleich finished fifth in the 400 Meters in 50.19 seconds. Carson Rodgers earned All-Conference honors in two events. He was second in the 200 Meters in 22.27 seconds and finished third in the 100 Meters in 10.93 seconds. Two jumpers were in the top six in the High Jump with Solomon Ware finishing in second at 1.99 meters, Peter Sailsmanwas fourth at 1.88 and Serron Pettis finished sixth at 1.83 meters. Pettis was sixth in the Long Jump at 5.86 meters with Nick Fornoff finishing in eighth at 5.73 meters. Kristian Boado was sixth in the Hammer with a throw of 49.95 meters and finished in seventh in the Discus with a toss of 42.00 meters. Dalton Hoadley was seventh in the 110 Meter Hurdles in 16.64 seconds. Austin Bridgman finished seventh in the 1500 Meters in 4:01.61. Brandt Williamson was eighth in the shot put at 14.16 meters. Roy Baggio finished eighth in the Javelin with a toss of 42.96 meters. Bradyn Olmstead was eighth in the 10,000 meters breaking his own school record in 32:10.51. Gabe Bush finished in eighth in the Men's 3000 Meter Steeplechase in 9:55.25, which is fifth fastest in school history. In the women's competition, senior Mackenzie Dixon was the CCIW Champion in the 800 Meters in 2:13.56. Dixon then joined Hailey Wimberly, Eryn Renison and Lovenya Perry to win the 4x400 Relay in 3:55.21. Dixon was named the CCIW Championships' Women's Athlete of the Meet. The Big Blue took second and third in the Women's 400 Meters with Perry in 59.80 seconds and Wimberly coming in third in 1:00.38. Renison was second in the 400 Meters in 1:06.01, which ties her fourth spot on Millikin's Outdoor Track Top 10 Performance List. Katie Abell tied for second in the Shot Put at 10.53 meters and finished in fourth in the Javelin at 34.34 meters (112-08), which was the third best distance in school history. On Friday, Quincy Collings finished in second place in the Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase in 11:30.02, which was the second fastest time in school history. Hailey O'Malley also earned All-Conference in the event finishing in fifth in 11:55.76. On Saturday, Collings was fifth in the 5000 Meters in 18:22.27, which was third fastest in the event in Big Blue history. Itzel Garcia finished in third in the 100 Meters in 12.26 second, which is third fastest in school history. She was also third in the 200 Meters in 25.63 seconds. Alyssa Ruiz finished in third in the 1500 Meters in 4:50.63 with Hailey O'Malley coming home in eighth at 4:59.53. Ruiz was also third in the 800 Meters in 2:19.64. Katie Risner was seventh in the 800 Meters in 2:28.47. Kayla Green tied for seventh in the High Jump at 1.44 meters.

Millikin University athletes freshman Collin Griffin (Le Roy, H.S.) and junior Emilie Mineo (Naperville, Naperville Central H.S.) were Millikin's recipients of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) RESPECT Award for Outdoor Track and Field presented at the CCIW Outdoor Track Field Champions on May 7 at Wheaton College. The CCIW RESPECT award is presented at the conclusion of every sports season with each varsity program recognizing one student-athlete. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture. Griffin is a Management Information Systems major. Mineo is majoring in Developmental Therapy.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 softball All-Conference squads and postseason awards on Thursday, May 5 ahead of the CCIW Tournament hosted at the Workman Family Softball Field. Senior Grace Biondo (Naperville, Ill.) was named to the second team. Biondo drew the second most walks in the conference with 11. Grace Biondo was fourth for the highest batting average on the Millikin squad at .378.

Junior Jada Wilson was named Millikin's recipient of the RESPECT Award. The new CCIW RESPECT award is presented at the conclusion of every sports season with each varsity program recognizing one student-athlete. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 softball All-Conference squads and postseason awards on Thursday, May 5 ahead of the CCIW Tournament hosted at the Workman Family Softball Field. Big Blue's designated player Cassie Reed (Bethalto, Ill.), tallying a .363 batting average during the season with 33 hits and 18 RBI.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 softball All-Conference squads and postseason awards on Thursday, May 5 ahead of the CCIW Tournament hosted at the Workman Family Softball Field. Camryn Skundberg (Mt. Zion, Ill.) earned the title of CCIW Batting Champion, with a .545 average in conference play, along with leading the slugging percentage (1.061) and on base percentage (0.579).

Millikin Students in the Tabor School of Business were honored with the following awards at the 2022 Honors Convocation. Glen R. Smith Award: Angela Arnold Margaret Sparks Award: Kentina Ishimwe Judy Lederbrand Day Accounting Award: Megan Lockhart, Amanda Noser Linda Weatherbee Human Resource Management Award: Bailey Coffman Paul R. Winn Memorial Achievement Award: Alyssa Hennessy, Daniel Laverde Podeschi-Landacre Management Information Systems Award: Lan Dao, Rolande Umuhoza, Isabella Voss Excellence in Management Information Systems Award: Sean Miller

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 softball All-Conference squads and postseason awards on Thursday, May 5 ahead of the CCIW Tournament hosted at the Workman Family Softball Field. Pitcher Aly Armstrong (Effingham, Ill.) was named to the first team. Armstrong ranked second on the list of Pitcher of the Year, holding her opponents to a .175 batting average in conference play, and third in ERA with a 1.42 ERA in the CCIW.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 softball All-Conference squads and postseason awards on Thursday, May 5 ahead of the CCIW Tournament hosted at the Workman Family Softball Field. Pitcher Addison Sargent (Mt. Vernon, Ill.) was named to the first team. Sargent was also named the Pitcher of the Year after tallying a 13-1 overall record, 7-1 in the CCIW, and leading the conference in ERA (0.93) and opposing batting average (.153).

Justin Caldwell was named Millikin's RESPECT Award winner. The new CCIW RESPECT award is presented at the conclusion of every sports season with each varsity program recognizing one student-athlete. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 softball All-Conference squads and postseason awards on Thursday, May 5 ahead of the CCIW Tournament hosted at the Workman Family Softball Field. Outfielder Kendallyn Davison (Avon, Ind.) tallied the top number of RBI in conference play with 25, led the conference in doubles with nine, and notched the third highest batting average in the conference with a .464 mark in the CCIW to earn a place on the first team. Davison was also selected as the First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin announced the 2022 men's tennis all-conference team on Wednesday, May 4. Millikin's Clayton Maack was named to the CCIW second team. Maack, a junior from Chesterfield, Mo. was named to the second team for the second consecutive season. Along with doubles partner Holden Owens, Maack tallied a 4-3 conference record at No. 2 doubles, 16-8 overall.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- Millikin's Camryn Skundberg and Addison Sargent were selected as the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Softball Student-Athletes of the Week on Monday. Skundberg, a junior infielder from Mt. Zion, Illinois and Parkland College, won her second CCIW Hitter of the Week honor on Monday while hitting .583 (7-for-12) with three runs, three home runs, six RBI and a 1.333 slugging percentage. She combined to go 4-for-6 with two runs, two home runs and three RBI in a double-header split against Illinois Wesleyan on April 26. Skundberg then went a combined 3-for-6 with one run, one home run and three RBI in a sweep of Augustana on May 1. Sargent, a junior pitcher from Mt. Vernon, Illinois and Mt. Vernon High School, won her second CCIW Pitcher of the Week honor while leading the Big Blue to a pair of conference wins last week. She went all six innings, struck out five batters and gave up just one walk and two hits in a 4-0 win over Illinois Wesleyan on April 26. Sargent followed up by going all six innings of a 6-0 shutout of Augustana on May 1 as she struck out seven batters and gave up just one hit.

Kristian Boado won two events at the Millikin Tri-Meet and set a new school record in hammer. Camryn Skundberg has a .583 batting average with three homeruns and 6 RBIs this week.

Millikin University senior men's golfer Jack Patterson (Alton, Marquette Catholic H.S.) was Millikin's recipients of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) RESPECT Award for men's golf presented at the CCIW Men's Golf Champions on April 30. The new CCIW RESPECT award is presented at the conclusion of every sports season with each varsity program recognizing one student-athlete. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture. Patterson is an Accounting major.

Millikin's Tanner Coleman was selected as the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Baseball Student-Athlete of the Week on Tuesday. Coleman, a junior pitcher from Findlay, Illinois and MacMurray College, went the distance in a 9-1 victory at Wheaton on Thursday. He pitched all nine innings, gave up one walk, one earned run in the eighth inning and six strikeouts against the Thunder to move to 4-4 on the season.

The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) announced the Merle Chapman Leadership Award recipients on Wednesday. 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 male and one female from their Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) who participates in a CCIW-sponsored sport. Millikin's honorees are junior women's basketball player Miranda Fox (Effingham, H.S.), a Communication major and senior cross country and track athlete Ben Kuxmann (Bourbonnais, Bradley Bourbonnais H.S.), an English (Secondary Teaching) major. In addition to being leaders on their respective teams both hold leadership roles on the Millikin campus. Fox, a starter for the Big Blue, received this year's CCIW Elite 25 Award for having the highest grade point average from teams playing in the CCIW Women's Basketball Tournament Championship game. Kuxmann was named to the 2020-21 Academic All-America Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Second Team, selected by CoSIDA. He earned All-American honors at the 2022 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships with a third place finish in the 800 Meters. He was third in the 2021 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the 800 Meters as well.

Millikin Students & Staff were honored with the following awards at the 2022 Honors Convocation. Maria Leonard Senior Book Award: Greta Jacobson and Madison Roberson The JoAnne Trow Award: Joshua Martinez, Reagan Minnette, Sophia Nicholson, Page Shields and Charly Warlow Millikin University Greek Five Star Chapter Award: Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, Inc., Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. C.W. Barnes Memorial Award: Kaitlin Dickey Major Thomas G. Storey Citizenship Award: Reena Riley Dr. Jere C. Mickel Human Relations Award: Jarius Ingram Daniel J. & Elinor Gage Student Activities Award: Aubrey Staton Helen Moffett Russell Community Service Award: Kaitlin Yelaska and Dejuan Sparkman Eshelman Family Award: Brandon Lockhart and Megan Lockhart The Dr. Jan Devore Award for Excellence in Contributions to Campus Life: Erica Reyes Dr. J. Roger Miller Leadership Award: Angela Arnold Outstanding Adjunct Instructor Award: Dr. Chung-Ha Kim, adjunct professor of music Alpha Lambda Delta Outstanding Teaching Award: Dr. Robert Money, professor of philosophy and chair of the Philosophy Department Teaching Excellence Award: Dr. Julie Bates, assistant professor of English Research & Artistic Achievement Award: Dr. Mark Tonelli, assistant professor of applied guitar and coordinator of the Guitar Studies Program Faculty Service Award: Rachel Bicicchi, associate professor, educational technology coordinator, research/instruction librarian and director of online learning Dr. Ralph A. Czerwinski and Dr. Deborah L. Slayton Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award: Dr. Nancy Curtin, professor of communication and chair of the Communication Department

The Scovill Prize is the most coveted award for overall excellence at Millikin University, Scovill prizes are awarded on the basis of academic achievement, demonstrated leadership and service and scholarship. The following students are the Scovill Prize winners: Jarius Ingram Sean Miller Erin Leone Emily Kemp Bryce Shumaker Victoria Stuart Jacob Vietti Hannah Magy

Millikin Students in the College of Professional Studies were honored with the following awards at the 2022 Honors Convocation. Education Barbara & Robert Byrkit Award: Maegan Carter, Lauren Wyatt Dr. Jerald Hunt & Dr. Darlene Hoffman Award for Excellence in Teaching & Learning: Allison Banks Jola Kuntz Education Award: Kathryn Cully Ray Boehmer Memorial Award for Excellence in Science Education: Emma Lewis Exercise Science & Sport Smith/Orlandini Award: Sophie Darden, Quinton Miller Walter Witt Award: Salat Al-Nurridin, Jensen Cearlock, Kale Crawford, Simen Nodland Nursing Alpha Tau Delta Honorarium Award: Sierra Barnette Decatur Memorial Hospital R.H. Cleland R.N. Award: Chloe Scharfenberg James Millikin Theory & Practice of Nursing Award: Blake Breyman Dorotha F. Dean Nursing Award: Nicole Billadeau Dr. Mary D. Shanks & Dr. Linda K. Niedringhaus Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award: Rachael Croy Dr. Mary Jane Linton Nursing Excellence Award: Taylor Orr