Contact: Zachary Witken, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, zdwitken@noctrl.edu
(written by Student Sports Information Assistant, Anna Fox)

Nov. 8, 2021 - As a very successful season for the North Central College women's soccer team ends and the men's soccer team preparing for the NCAA tournament, both teams had individuals pick up another award. Modeled after the NCAA's Elite 90 program, the CCIW Elite 25 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average (GPA) participating in the championship for each of the CCIW's 25 championships. This year's CCIW Elite 25 recipients are Aidan Westerberg and Kily Egan.

To be eligible for the Elite 25 Award, a student-athlete must be a sophomore, junior, or senior and in at least their second season of competition with their current team. Graduate students are not eligible. For sports where an individual is awarded all-conference honors at the conference championship (M&W cross country, M&W golf, M&W swimming & diving, M&W track & field, wrestling), the all-conference recipient with the highest GPA will receive the award. For sports that compete in a conference tournament (baseball, M&W basketball, bowling, M&W lacrosse, softball, M&W tennis, M&W volleyball), the student-athlete with the highest GPA from the first or second-place team in the conference tournament will receive the award. For football, the student-athlete with the highest GPA from the first or second-place team in the conference standings will receive the award.

Egan is a junior midfielder from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is majoring in marketing and had a flawless GPA of 4.0. This season Egan scored eight goals, two assists, and 18 points. She played in 20 games and started in 19 of them. Egan tallied 1,483 minutes and had 40 shots with 24 of them on goal.  

Westerberg is a sophomore midfielder from Belvidere, Ill., and is studying biology at North Central. Off the field, Westerberg had a perfect GPA of 4.0. On the field, he scored four goals, five assists, and 13 points this season. Westerberg started in all 17 games and has tallied 1111 minutes with 32 shots, 17 of them on goal. Westerberg was also named All-CCIW Second Team. 

After North Central men's soccer won the CCIW Championship on Saturday against Wheaton College, the Cardinals wait for the selection show for the NCAA Tournament that premieres on Nov. 8 at 12:30 PM on NCAA.com. For more information about the NCAA tournament, please click HERE. 

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