Vote: CSM Fall Athletes of the Week, Sept. 21-27, 2026
The quickly-moving fall sports season is starting to shift into title-winning season and this week’s Clutch Sports Media Fall Athletes of the Week nominees helped kick it off.
The latest batch of nominees features several Bloomington/Normal Intercity champions in cross country and volleyball, plus several conference tournament champions in boys and girls golf. Football, flag football and soccer standouts from across the area are also in the mix after big performances.
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Check out all of our nominees with information on their standout performances below, vote for who you think should win and spread the word to vote before polls close on Friday at 11:59 PM!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees
Eden Hafermann, Normal West volleyball
Hafermann spearheaded Normal West, which won the highly-competitive Intercity tournament on Sept. 26. Across four wins against Bloomington, Bloomington Central Catholic, Normal U-High and Normal Community, she tallied a team-high 33 kills and a team-high 39 digs. She also put down nine kills in a sweep over Champaign Central on Sept. 22.
Sydney Hunt, Dunlap girls golf
Hunt added on to her stacked resume with a Mid-Illini Conference individual title on Sept. 24 at Wee-Ma-Tuk Country Club. The Eagles star shot a one-under 71 with four birdies to win by three strokes and she led Dunlap to a runner-up team finish. She also shot a 37 to be the medalist at a Mid-Illini tri-meet on Sept. 21 and won the Pekin Lady Dragon Classic on Sept. 26, shooting a 72 at Lick Creek to lead Dunlap’s second-place finish.
Lorelei Hulsing, Bloomington girls cross country
Hulsing won her first Intercity title as a sophomore, marking her fourth win of her 2026 campaign so far. She put up a time of 18:46.3 to win the event by 33 seconds and help Bloomington finish in second as a team.
Josie Heffron, Peoria Notre Dame girls golf
Heffron won the Big 12 Conference individual title on Sept. 22 and boosted the Irish to a conference championship as a team as well. Heffron shot an 87 at the University of Illinois Golf Course and beat Normal West’s Maddie Bierbaum in a sudden-death playoff for the title.
Kinslee Rader, Normal U-High flag football
Rader put up a pair of solid performances as the Pioneers’ quarterback, leading with 157 passing yards and three touchdowns in a 34-0 win over Normal West on Sept. 21. She then threw for 228 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help the Pioneers hand Champaign Central its first loss of the season in a 35-28 victory on Sept. 22. She also helped the Pioneers to a 34-6 win over Champaign Centennial on Sept. 26.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Eden Hafermann, Normal West volleyball
Sydney Hunt, Dunlap girls golf
Lorelei Hulsing, Bloomington girls cross country
Josie Heffron, Peoria Notre Dame girls golf
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Jimmy Lollar, Olympia football
Lollar added onto his monstrous senior campaign with a shining performance in Olympia’s 56-21 win over state-ranked Williamsville. The senior running back rushed 24 times for 137 times and two touchdowns and added four tackles with an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown. Lollar also eclipsed 4,000 career rushing yards in the win.
Eli Hartman, Bloomington boys cross country
Hartman was the boys Intercity cross country champion, running a 15:05.9 to set a new personal-best 3-mile time on Sept. 26. He won the race by just over six seconds over Normal U-High’s Andrew Aldeman and his efforts helped Bloomington take third place.
Court Bohanon, Washington boys golf
Bohanon won the Mid-Illini Conference title in thrilling fashion on Sept. 24, shooting a 73 and defeating Pekin’s Colin Kemp in a three-hole playoff for the individual title. Bohanon made a birdie on the par-5 first hole at Quail Meadows Golf Course to win and his showing helped Washington tie for third as a team. He also shot a 36 to lead the Panthers to a narrow Mid-Illini win over Pekin on Sept. 22.
Lincoln Knapp, Eureka football
Knapp did it all in a 48-20 Week 6 win over Ridgeview/Lexington, helping the Hornets advance to 4-2 on the season. The Eureka quarterback ran 11 times for 137 yards and four touchdowns and went 7-for-10 through the air for an additional 126 yards and another touchdown.
Connor Evans, Normal U-High boys soccer
Evans was one of many consistent performers for the Pioneers last week as they picked up a trio of wins. Evans scored a goal and was credited with an assist in an 8-1 win over Decatur MacArthur/Eisenhower on Sept. 22, which helped Normal U-High advance to 6-0 in Central State Eight Conference play. He sparked the Pioneers’ offense with two goals in a 3-0 win over Rock Island Alleman on Sept. 24.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Jimmy Lollar, Olympia football
Eli Hartman, Bloomington boys cross country
Court Bohanon, Washington boys golf
Lincoln Knapp, Eureka football
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