NAPPERVILLE, Ill. — After a monstrous performance in Carthage's win over North Park last Saturday, defensive lineman Gabe Villa was chosen as the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.

The junior got off to a blistering start against the Vikings, picking up his first sack and forced fumble of the game on their first defensive series. On the following North Park possession, Villa found the quarterback once again, causing yet another fumble which was picked up by the Red Men defense before being turned back over.

The Naperville, Ill. native broke through the line yet again three plays later, stripping the ball from the quarterback a third time after a 10-yard sack. Villa would record his fourth forced fumble near the end of the first quarter, stripping the North Park running back of the ball on a rush up the middle.

Villa ended the game setting career-bests in solo tackles with five, tackles for a loss with five, sacks with three, and forced fumbles with four.

This is the first CCIW Defensive Player of the Week honor for Carthage this season, and first such award since Kameron Stubblefield won it last season on October 1. The Red Men have now taken home four conference player of the week honors in 2019.

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2019 CCIW Football Players of the Week

Offense
Johnny Dicanio - Illinois Wesleyan (11/4/19)
Ethan Greenfield - North Central (10/28/19)
Colton Klein - Carthage (10/21/19)
Andrew Kamienski - North Central (10/14/19)
Phillip Nichols - Wheaton (10/6/19)
Broc Rutter - North Central (9/30/19)
Andrew Kamienski - North Central (9/23/19)
Hamid Bullie - Illinois Wesleyan (9/16/19)
Jordan Smith - Millikin (9/9/19)

Defense
Gabe Villa - Carthage (11/4/19)
John Christensen - WashU (10/28/19)
Dallas McRae - Wheaton (10/21/19)
Dave Lux - Illinois Wesleyan (10/14/19)
Xavier Holley - Augustana (10/6/19)
Spencer Rowland - Wheaton (9/30/19)
Ryan Schwartz - Wheaton (9/23/19)
Trevor Koepke - Illinois Wesleyan (9/16/19)
Luke Sawicki - Augustana (9/9/19)

Special Teams
Will Hurley - WashU (11/4/19)
David Jones - Millikin (10/28/19)
David Collins - Carthage (10/21/19)
Chris Vartanian - WashU (10/14/19)
Dean Zigulich - Illinois Wesleyan (10/6/19)
Robert Neidballa - Illinois Wesleyan (9/30/19)
David Collins - Carthage (9/23/19)
Matt Burns - Elmhurst (9/16/19)
John Bickle - Wheaton (9/9/19)