McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team is preparing to compete against SUNY Cortland in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. The match is scheduled for Saturday, May 10, at Kinsley Field in York, Pennsylvania, hosted by York College of Pennsylvania.

Illinois Wesleyan secured its spot in the tournament after winning the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Championship against Elmhurst University on May 3, with a score of 16-13. SUNY Cortland also earned an automatic bid following their victory over Oneonta in the State University of New York Athletic Conference Tournament on the same day.

The two teams have faced each other once before during a spring break matchup on March 13, 2024, where Cortland emerged victorious with a score of 12-9. Key players for Illinois Wesleyan from that game include Gage Black, Timothy McHugh, and Sam Weinberg.

Illinois Wesleyan's head coach Zach Iannucci is in his 12th season leading the team. Under his leadership, the Titans have achieved significant success including eight CCIW regular season championships and seven NCAA Tournament appearances.

Nine players from Illinois Wesleyan were named to the All-CCIW squad this year. Among them are Gage Black and Colin Tervo who received first-team honors. Coach Iannucci was named CCIW Coach of the Year for the third time.

Key players such as Gage Black and Ike Eastburn have been instrumental in scoring for Illinois Wesleyan this season. Black returned for a fifth year and has contributed significantly to the team's goals tally while Eastburn leads with 51 goals scored.

Goalie Colin Tervo had a standout performance in the CCIW Championships with a program record of 23 saves. His overall performance this season has been pivotal for the team.

Billy McHugh joined his brother Timothy McHugh at Illinois Wesleyan this season after transferring from Long Island State University. The brothers have made notable contributions to both defense and attack respectively.

As a team, Illinois Wesleyan ranks high nationally in several statistical categories within NCAA Division III lacrosse. They stand out particularly in ground balls per game and caused turnovers per game.

The winner of Saturday’s match will proceed to face either York or Trinity (Conn.) in the third round scheduled for Sunday, May 11.