Vote: CSM Spring Athletes of the Week, May 4-10, 2026
- Clutch Sports Staff
- 55 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Several familiar names and multiple other athletes who had breakout performances found themselves among the top performers across Central Illinois last week and earned nominations for Clutch Sports Media’s Spring Athletes of the Week.
This week’s nominees include baseball and softball players that helped lift their teams to conference titles and other closely-contested wins, conference champions and record setters in track and field, plus star performers in girls soccer and boys tennis.
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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
Cora Ellison, Illini Bluffs softball
Ellison had another huge week of doing it all for Illini Bluffs, leading the Tigers to four wins in six games. Ellison went 3-4 with a double and a go-ahead 3-run home run in a 9-6 win over Washington on May 9, throwing a complete game with seven strikeouts and two walks as well. Earlier that day, she hit a three-run homer in a 9-7 loss to Morris. She nearly hit for the cycle against Tremont in a 15-0 win on May 4, going 3-4 with a double, triple, home run and three RBIs plus a five-inning no-hitter in the circle. She drove in four runs on two hits in a 9-2 win over ROWVA/Williamsfield on May 5 and later struck out nine in four innings with a triple and RBI in a 5-2 win over Havana on May 7.
Jessica Henderson, Tremont girls track and field
Henderson won a pair of Heart of Illinois Conference title and led Tremont to a team win at its home invite. The Turks’ freshman won the 800 in 2:25.68 and the 1600 in 5:23.10 at the HOIC Conference Meet on May 4 while also running on her team’s 4x400 and 4x800 relays that both placed fourth. She went on to sweep the 800 (2:24.73) and 1600 (5:22.56) titles at the Tremont Invite on May 8 as well.
Cali White, Normal Community softball
White came up clutch in a big moment for Normal Community, hitting a walk-off two-run homer in a 7-6 win over Normal U-High on May 8. She added an RBI single and an RBI double earlier in the contest as well. White doubled in a 5-0 loss to Normal West on May 5 and picked up two hits in an 11-0 win over Richwoods on May 7.
Violet Hynek, Peoria Christian girls soccer
Hynek continued her strong campaign with seven goals across the Chargers victories last week. She netted a pair of goals in a 3-0 win over IVC on May 6 and a 7-0 win over Springfield Southeast on May 7. Two days later, she had a hat trick to go with an assist in a 7-1 win over Bloomington Cornerstone.
Sutton Centoni, Dunlap softball
Centoni helped Dunlap clinch the Mid-Illini title with several strong performances last week. The senior went 2-4 with three RBIs and a 13-strikeout, one-hit shutout in a 5-0 victory against Morton on May 9. She threw another shutout with 13 K’s and three hits allowed while driving in Dunlap’s lone run of the game in a 1-0 win over East Peoria on May 7. She added a 4-4 performance with an RBI in a 14-4 win over Limestone on May 5.
Vote here!
CSM Girls Athlete of the Week poll
Cora Ellison, Illini Bluffs softball
Jessica Henderson, Tremont girls track and field
Cali White, Normal Community softball
Violet Hynek, Peoria Christian girls soccer
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week nominees
Westin Mayfield, Heyworth boys track and field
Mayfield broke a long-standing Heyworth school record at the Heyworth Meet on May 7. The Hornets’ senior threw 167’11 to win the discus, breaking his previous personal best by nine feet. The previous school record in the discus was set in 1954.
Issac Schroeder, Normal U-High baseball
Schroeder delivered in a huge game for Normal U-High on May 6 against Chatham Glenwood. He threw 5.1 innings out of the bullpen with seven strikeouts, one walk, one hit and no runs allowed to help the Pioneers clinch the Central State Eight Conference title.
Tate Darcy, Morton boys tennis
Darcy picked up seven wins during a busy week including two in a Mid-Illini match against Washington and four at Metamora’s Tom Pitchford Invite over the weekend. Darcy won 7-6 (4), 6-1 in singles play against Washington and won a pair of doubles matches during the week with Joal Larson, beating Washington 7-6 (4), 6-0 and Bloomington Central Catholic 6-0, 6-2. He won in three sets against Carbondale at the Pitchford Invite with sweeps over Dunlap, Morris and Urbana Uni-High.
Cayden Allen, Princeville baseball
Allen had RBIs in all four games and a strong pitching performance last week for the Princes, helping them go 3-1. Allen started off by going 2-4 with a double and an RBI in a 7-6 loss to Farmington on May 6 and drove in two runs in a 6-5 victory over Biggsville West Central the next day. He had the go-ahead RBI in the eighth inning of a 5-4 conference win over Ridgewood and went 2-4 with three RBIs, plus four scoreless innings with two strikeouts and one hit allowed in a 10-4 win to complete the sweep against the Spartans on May 9.
Aiden Duhs, IVC boys track and field
Duhs won several races, including two Illini Prairie Conference titles in distance events, last week. The IVC junior won conference championships in the 800 (1:57.94) and the 4x800, anchoring the relay to a winning time of 8:17.27. Duhs led that relay group to a win at the Dee-Mack Invite on May 8 in 8:06.80 and won the 1600 in 4:37.30 to help the Grey Ghosts win the meet as a team.
Vote here!
CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll
Westin Mayfield, Heyworth boys track and field
Issac Schroeder, Normal U-High baseball
Tate Darcy, Morton boys tennis
Cayden Allen, Princeville baseball