Willman has record-setting day for EIU: Sauk Valley sports briefs

College football

Willman sets receiving record: Eastern Illinois University senior wide receiver Cooper Willman, a 2020 Sterling graduate, made some history for the Panthers on Saturday, as he caught 11 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns against Gardner-Webb. The 291 receiving yards are the most by an FCS player this season and the most in EIU history. He caught nine passes for 252 yards and all three touchdowns in the second half as EIU came up short in a 31-28 loss after trailing 31-7. He also eclipsed 1,000 career receiving yards, becoming the 35th player in EIU history to do so. He has 853 yards receiving and eight TDs on 55 catches this season.

He was named Football Offensive Player of the Week in the Big South-OVC for the effort. EIU (2-8, 1-5) hosts Charleston Southern on Saturday on senior day.

College volleyball

Rodriguez earns B1G award: Nebraska senior libero Lexi Rodriguez, a 2021 Sterling grad, was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. It was her seventh career weekly defensive honor and second of the season. The two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year averaged 4.17 digs per set last week to help the Huskers to a pair of standout defensive performances in road sweeps at No. 12 Oregon and Washington. In doing so, she passed Kayla Banwarth for second at Nebraska in career digs, now with 1,731. Justine Wong-Orantes is the career leader with 1,890.

Rodriguez had 14 digs in the sweep at Oregon as the Huskers held Oregon to a .133 hitting percentage. She followed with 11 digs and served two aces at Washington as Nebraska limited the Huskies to a .158 hitting percentage.

Borum earns weekly honor: Loyola Chicago senior volleyball player Bree Borum, a 2021 Sterling grad, was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week after a 3-0 week for the Ramblers ending Nov. 2. It was Borum’s first weekly award this season. She is on an eight-match double-double streak and posted her third triple-double of the season over the weekend.

The senior setter totaled 25 kills, 95 assists, 31 digs, one ace and five blocks over the three matches, averaging 2.78 kills per set, 10.56 assists per set, and 3.44 digs per set.

Against Saint Louis, Borum tallied a double-double with 33 assists and 10 digs. She added eight kills and a block.

Over the weekend in two matches at Duquesne, Borum followed with her third triple-double of the season, posting 10 kills, 29 assists and 10 digs. The weekend was capped with seven kills, 33 assists and 11 digs. She hit .636 in the final match against the Dukes.