Vote: CSM Fall Athletes of the Week, Aug. 25-31, 2025

The old adage of shaking off rust to start a season meant little to many prep athletes across Central Illinois. 

In a week featuring a long list of standout performances in the first week of the season for several sports, 10 area athletes especially stood out and earned nominations for CSM Fall Athletes of the Week.

This week’s nominees include all-tournament standouts in soccer and volleyball, a pair of star golfers from Normal U-High, plus other top performers in football, cross country and tennis. 

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UPDATE: Audrey Dickinson of Illini Bluffs and Brody Allen of Normal U-High won CSM Fall Athletes of the Week after earning the most votes in their respectiv polls. Voting closed at 11:59 PM on Thursday.

Girls Athlete of the Week nominees 

Mia Lamberti, Limestone volleyball

Lamberti helped the Rockets carry over momentum from 2024 as they won the championship at the Macomb Classic on Aug. 30. Over the course of five games, Lamberti had 47 kills, 53 assists and 11 aces to help Limestone beat Sciota West Prairie, Pleasant Plains, Kewanee, Orion and Eureka all in two sets. Lamberti’s aforementioned marks led the team in each of those categories and she earned a spot on the all-tournament team. 

Natalie Ocheltree, Normal U-High girls golf

Ocheltree had multiple huge rounds for Normal U-High, including a four-under-par 68 to win the Bloomington Central Catholic Saints Shootout on Aug. 30. Her round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-4 second hole and three birdies and helped the Pioneers win the event by 29 strokes over Quincy Notre Dame. On Aug. 29, she and Sofia Ruiz combined to shoot a 66 at Champaign Centennial’s Brookhill Shootout, which placed both the tandem and Normal U-High’s team in the top three. 

Audrey Dickinson, Illini Bluffs girls cross country

Dickinson began her high school career with a bang by winning the Farmington Invite and IVC Invite in the same week. The Tigers’ freshman took first in Farmington with a time of 17:55.5 and her winning time at IVC was 18:17.0.

Josie Certa, Bloomington Central Catholic volleyball

Certa was the hub of BCC’s offense as the Saints began the year with three straight wins. The senior setter posted 27 assists and six digs in a sweep over Dee-Mack on Aug. 25 and added 20 assists, five digs and three kills in a three-set win over Tri-Valley on Aug. 28. Certa closed her week with a strong all-around performance against Dunlap, tallying six kills, six digs and 17 assists. 

Hallie Shoenberger and Adi Kim, Normal U-High girls tennis

Shoenberger and Kim helped lead Normal U-High to a title at the Springfield Invite on Aug. 30. The sophomore tandem won the No. 2 doubles bracket after multiple victories. 

Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Jacob Walton, Peoria Christian boys soccer

Walton crafted a gargantuan week and helped Peoria Christian win its third straight title at its Charger Soccer Invite against a strong field. Walton scored a hat trick in a 7-0 win over Kewanee on Aug. 26 and added another three-goal performance — all within the span of five minutes — in another 7-0 victory over Bloomington Cornerstone Christian on Aug. 29. Later that night, he netted five goals in a 7-0 win over Manteno in the tournament semifinals before scoring once more in a 4-0 win against Williamsville in the championship game on Aug. 30. 

Shaun Denniston, Dee-Mack football

Denniston was a key piece for Dee-Mack in the Chiefs’ 38-8 win over Eureka, which was their first win over the Hornets since 2016. Denniston rumbled for 186 yards on 14 carries and added three touchdowns in his season debut. 

Brody Allen, Normal U-High boys golf

Allen strung together three great performances for Normal U-High and was a big factor behind the Pioneers winning the Champaign Central Invite and Edwardsville’s Dick Gerber Invite. Allen was the medalist in Champaign on Aug. 28, shooting a 71 at the University of Illinois’ Orange Course. He also tied for third at the Peoria Notre Dame Invite with a 70 at Kellogg Golf Course on Aug. 27 and placed third at Edwardsville at four-over-par following rounds of 71 and 75. 

Ben Gorsage, Washington boys cross country

Gorsage was the top area finisher at the Normal West Invitational on Aug. 30 and aided Washington in placing fourth. The Panthers junior ran a 15:45.92 to take second place at the event. 

Will Emhoff, Illini Bluffs boys soccer

Emhoff was the catalyst behind Illini Bluffs achieving its goal of winning the Pekin Soccer Invitational. He scored once in a 3-2 victory over Monmouth-Roseville on Aug. 29, added another score in a 2-0 triumph over IVC on Aug. 30 and found the back of the net twice in a 4-0 win over Pekin that same day. The Tigers forward also struck for IB’s lone goal in a 1-1 season-opening draw against Bloomington Central Catholic on Aug. 25.