McLean County Times

Senior Mush Bakirdan from Morton, Illinois, has been named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Offensive Player of the Week. This accolade, announced on October 8th, marks his first career recognition and the second weekly award for a Titan this season. Earlier, junior Logan Tierney from Bloomington, Illinois, received the honor on September 10th.

Bakirdan's performance was pivotal in last week's CCIW opener against Carthage College on October 5th. The Titans faced a challenging situation as they trailed 3-0 early in the second half. However, Bakirdan played a crucial role in their comeback.

He scored both the first and last goals for Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU), leading them to a 5-4 victory over Carthage's Firebirds. The team started making headway when Tierney assisted Bakirdan for IWU's first goal at the 63rd minute. As the game progressed into its final moments, IWU managed to level the score with two more goals. Bakirdan then capitalized on a free kick opportunity just outside the box, catching Carthage off guard with a quick shot around an unset wall for the decisive goal.

The Titans are set to face Wheaton College next in another CCIW matchup scheduled for Wednesday, October 9th at Joe Bean Stadium. The game will commence at 7 p.m.