Vote: CSM Spring Athletes of the Week, March 16-22, 2026

With the page turning to spring in the 2025-26 IHSA sports season, Central Illinois athletes in baseball, softball, girls soccer, track and field, lacrosse and boys tennis are eager to showcase their stuff. 

Ten area performers put up impressive performances to start the season and this week’s nominees for CSM Spring Athletes of the Week include three Bloomington/Normal track and field standouts, three sluggers in baseball, goal magnets in girls soccer and lacrosse and more. 

Interested in growing your business? Reach out to inbox@clutchsportsil.com to learn how you can sponsor our Spring Athletes of the Week stories and social media posts which are seen by thousands of loyal high school sports fans in Central Illinois each week! 

Check out all of our nominees for CSM Spring Athletes of the Week with information on their standout performances below, vote for who you think should win and spread the word to vote before polls close at 11:59 PM on Thursday!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Caleb Hornbrook, Normal U-High baseball

Hornbrook entered several huge stat lines to start his season and helping the Pioneers to a 3-0 start where they outscored their opponents 39-3. He went 4-4 with two RBIs and fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle in a 10-0 win over Normal West on March 18. Two days later, he slugged a home run and drove in six while going 3-3 in an 18-2 win over Champaign Central. He tacked on two hits, including a double, and three RBIs in an 11-1 win over Oswego in the second game of Normal U-High’s doubleheader. 

DJ Brooks, Limestone boys track and field

Brooks has impressed early in his sophomore season and won a trio of events at Galesburg’s Last Chance Indoor Meet on March 21. He set a new personal best in winning the 60 meters in 7.03 seconds and also took the 200-meter title in 23.03 seconds. Brooks led the Rockets’ 4x200 relay with Tyler Hammond, Nathan Silomba and Logan Smallwood to winning in a clocking of 1:32.05.

RJ Duncheon, East Peoria baseball

The Illinois State commit started out his year hot on the mound and with the bat. He went 8-for-10 from the plate across three games, driving in two runs in a 10-0 win over Annawan/Wethersfield on March 20, and adding another RBI in a 4-2 win over Galesburg that same night. Against the Silver Streaks, he punched out 16 batters and gave up four hits in a complete victory. Duncheon tacked on a pair of doubles and an RBI in a 7-1 win over Farmington on March 21. 

AJ Ince, Normal Community boys track and field

Ince led Normal Community to a Big 12 Indoor title on March 17, winning a pair of distance events. The SIU-Edwardsville commit won the 800 meters in 2:01.62 and the 1600 meters in 4:37.87 while also leading the Ironmen's 4x800 relay with Luke Eganhouse, Juan Rojas and Colin Heath to first place as well. 

Andrew Dawson, Tremont baseball

Dawson had a flaming hot start for Tremont to help the Turks start 4-0 with several blowout wins. He went 2-4 with an RBI in a 10-0 season-opening win over Richwood and drove in the go-ahead run on a double in a 5-2 victory over Milford. On March 21, he socked two homers and drove in five runs in a 13-2 win over Port Byron Riverdale and plated another pair of Turks in a 20-7 win over Antioch.

Vote here!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll

• Caleb Hornbrook, Normal U-High baseball
• DJ Brooks, Limestone boys track and field
• RJ Duncheon, East Peoria baseball
• AJ Ince, Normal Community boys track and field

See All Options

CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees

Claudia Ifft, Bloomington girls track and field

Ifft won a pair of pole vault titles at two competitive meets in Bloomington/Normal, continuing to elevate her season best. She cleared 12 feet, 7.5 inches to win the Normal West Invitational on March 16 and cleared 12 feet, 8.75 inches, which is the highest indoor mark in the state so far this season, to win the Bloomington Indoor Invitational on March 21.

Avari McDermet, Canton girls soccer

McDermet had a lightning-fast start to her varsity career, scoring seven goals in a quartet of games for the Little Giants. She scored four goals in three games at the East Peoria Raiders Invite, helping Canton draw with Macomb and beat East Peoria 7-0. She added a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Riverton on March 21 to give the Little Giants their second straight win. 

Zoe Lindahl, Pekin softball

Lindahl threw a pair of gems for the Dragons last week, including a complete game two-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks in a 1-0 win over Mundelein on March 21. She added a single in that win and drove in two runs in a 14-0 victory over Midwest Central on March 19. Lindahl spent three innings in the circle against the Raiders and didn’t allow a hit while racking up nine strikeouts.

Sadie Shepherd, Dunlap girls lacrosse

Shepherd started her high school career in strong fashion, leading Dunlap to a 10-6 win over Burlington Central on March 21. The freshman netted four goals and assisted on three others in the victory. 

Renee Warren, Normal West girls track and field

Clutch Sports Media’s 2025 Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year showed off her track talents at several meets, picking up three victories. She crossed the line first in the 1600 (5:21.43) and 3200 (11:44.11) at the Big 12 Indoor Invite on March 16 while also finishing second in the 800. Warren set a new personal record in the 1600 by winning the event in 5:08.48 at the Bloomington Indoor Invitational on March 21.

Vote here!

CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll

• Claudia Ifft, Bloomington girls track and field
• Averi McDermet, Canton girls soccer
• Zoe Lindahl, Pekin softball
• Sadie Shepherd, Dunlap girls lacrosse

See All Options