Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

CCIW Week 5 Student-Athletes of the Week

Oct. 9, 2023 - North Central College quarterback wide receivers DeAngelo Hardy and Joey Lombardi have been recognized as College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Football Student-Athletes of the Week for games played Oct. 7, giving the Cardinals five such selections in the past four weeks.

Hardy was named the CCIW's Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week, while Lombardi was selected as the Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week for their respective efforts in North Central's 69-24 victory over Carroll University at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium Saturday. Hardy caught seven passes for a career-high 278 yards and tied a single-game program record with four touchdown receptions. Hardy posted the second-highest single-game total for receiving yards and the third-highest for all-purpose yards (290) in North Central's history, scoring on receptions of 76, 2, 69 and 93 yards. Lombardi returned the game's opening kickoff for 40 yards, then returned later in the first period to return a kick 98 yards for a touchdown, marking the longest return ever by a Cardinal.

This season, Hardy ranks fifth among all NCAA Division III players in touchdown receptions (9) and eighth in yards per reception (25.1), having caught 20 passes for 502 yards. North Central ranks 10th nationally and second in the CCIW in kickoff return average (26.7 yards per return).

This week's selections give the Cardinals (5-0, 4-0 CCIW) at least one Student-Athlete of the Week winner for the fourth consecutive week. Kicker Sean Ryniec received the conference's honor on special teams following a 59-6 victory over Elmhurst University and Lehnen was so honored after North Central's 70-0 win over Carthage College and their 54-35 victory over Wheaton College.

Still ranked No. 1 by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), North Central travels to face Millikin University (0-5, 0-4 CCIW) Saturday. Kickoff at Frank M. Lindsay Field is set for 1:00 p.m. Click HERE for the full 2023 schedule and live coverage options.

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