NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The Elmhurst University men's lacrosse team earned a program-record ten selections on the 2024 CCIW Men's Lacrosse All-CCIW Teams, as announced by the league office Tuesday afternoon.

The Bluejays placed a conference-high nine student-athletes on the All-CCIW teams, while also earning three of the four specialty awards from the conference. Elmhurst had three first-team honorees and placed six on the second-team.

Eli Spence followed up his stellar freshman year campaign in 2023, which culminated in winning the First Year Student-Athlete of the Year award, by winning the CCIW's Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year award in 2024 and earning First Team All-CCIW honors. There was no sophomore slump in sight for Spence, who paced the CCIW and the Jays in goals (51) and goals per game (3.64), assists (35), points (84) and points per game (6.00). Spence's 84 points are the second-most in a single season in Bluejay history, and his 164 points in two seasons already ranks third all-time in the program's history. Spence is the second player in Bluejay history to ever earn the conference's highest offensive honor, joining Mac Harden who won the award in 2018 and 2019.

Hunter Hernandez earned the First Year Student-Athlete of the Year award for the second season in a row for Elmhurst as the conference's top newcomer. Hernandez was second at Elmhurst and third in the CCIW  in goals (41) and goals per game (2.93), also ranking second for the Jays and ninth in the CCIW in points (44). Hernandez also paced the Bluejays in shot percentage among players with more than 50 shot attempts, connecting on goals to the tune of a .519 shot percentage. Hernandez is the fourth Bluejay to earn the CCIW's First Year Student-Athlete of the Year award, joining Spence in 2023, Ty Funderburk in 2017, and Harden in 2016.

Head coach Mark Morrell earned his second-career CCIW Coach of the Year award after leading the Bluejays to their most wins in a season since 2018 and a second-place finish in the CCIW this season. Morrell also earned the award in the 2018 season. 

Matt Koshiol earned his placement on the First Team All-CCIW list after a season in which the sophomore was one of the top defenders in the conference in the 2024 season. Koshiol ranked fourth in the CCIW this season in caused turnovers per game (1.69) and fifth in caused turnovers (22), while ranking third on the team in ground balls (35).

Tony Vazquez was the top faceoff man in the CCIW this season, earning his second-straight All-CCIW award after being on the second team in the 2023 season. Vazquez paced the Bluejays and the league in ground balls (141) and ground balls per game (9.40) while going 241-for-383 (.629 faceoff percentage) on faceoffs in the 2024 campaign.

Goalkeeper Andrew Lacksonen earned Second Team All-CCIW honors this season, being the second Bluejay keeper in two years to earn a spot on the second team after Noah Mickelson earned the same honor in 2023. Lacksonen ranked first in the CCIW in goals allowed (100) amongst keepers playing 500+ minutes this season, also ranking first in goals against average (9.09) with the same criteria. He also made the fifth-most saves in the league (118) in the 2024 season, ranking fourth in save percentage (.541) and fifth in saves per game (9.08). Lacksonen also broke the Bluejay single-season record for most wins (11) in goal in a season. 

Freshman long-stick midfielder Gabe Henry earned Second Team All-CCIW honors after pacing the Bluejays and the CCIW in caused turnovers (43) and caused turnovers per game (2.87), breaking the Elmhurst single season record for caused turnovers and also ranking first in a season in Bluejay history in ground balls by a non-faceoff player with 63 on the season. 

Midfielder Chris Haycock earned his first placement on an All-CCIW team, earning second-team honors after ranking third on the team in goals (23) and fourth in points (32). Defenders Max Ridenour and Tommy Smythe also represented the Jays, earning Second Team All-CCIW honors after stellar seasons on the defensive side.

Ethan Stepanek was Elmhurst's RESPECT Award recipient, given to student-athletes who have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution, and their community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust.

The Bluejays will kick off the postseason this Wednesday, May 1, hosting third-seed North Central in a CCIW Tournament Semifinal at 7:30 p.m. at Langhorst Field in Elmhurst.

2024 CCIW MEN'S LACROSSE ALL-CCIW TEAMS

CCIW Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Eli Spence, Elmhurst

CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Michael Campagna, Illinois Wesleyan

CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year
Hunter Hernandez, Elmhurst

CCIW Coach of the Year
Mark Morrell, Elmhurst

All-CCIW First Team
Colin Tervo, G, Illinois Wesleyan
Andrew Johnson, A, Carthage
Eli Spence, A, Elmhurst
Luke Illgen, A, North Central
Matt Koshiol, D, Elmhurst
Michael Campagna, D, Illinois Wesleyan
Rutger Rawlings, D, North Central
George Burchfield, MF, Carthage
Gage Black, MF, Illinois Wesleyan
Trystan Seeley, MF, Illinois Wesleyan
Sam Skelton, LSM, Illinois Wesleyan
Tony Vazquez, F/O, Elmhurst
Dylan Mlinarch, SSDM, North Central

All-CCIW Second Team
Andrew Lacksonen, G, Elmhurst
Ian Edwards, A, Carthage
Hunter Hernandez, A, Elmhurst
Sam Weinberg, A, Illinois Wesleyan
Max Ridenour, D, Elmhurst
Tommy Smyth, D, Elmhurst
Ethan Hart, D, Illinois Wesleyan
Chris Haycock, MF, Elmhurst
Noah Dretzka, MF, Illinois Wesleyan
Rylan McQueary, MF, North Central
Gabe Henry, LSM, Elmhurst
Chad Kohlmann, F/O, Carthage
Evan Watanabe, SSDM, North Central

CCIW RESPECT Award Recipients
Eddie Resendez, Augustana
Byron Gerber, Carroll
Sam Wallace, Carthage
Ethan Stepanek, Elmhurst
Alex Oximana, Illinois Wesleyan
Tom Eberhardt, North Central