Lake Forest College Sports Information
December 2nd, 2001
Contact:  Mike Wajerski, SID

Casey Urlacher Named MVP of 2001 Season
Nick Rossie earns MIP honors
  

Casey Urlacher (#34) was the team's 2001 Most Valuable Player and Nick Rossie (#88) was the Most Improved Player.
LAKE FOREST, IL -  Forester head football coach Chad Eisele announced his team's special award winners Sunday (December 2nd) afternoon at the Lake Forest College Fall Sports Awards Ceremony at the 1st Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest.

Junior middle linebacker Casey Urlacher (Lake Bluff, IL/Lovington-NM) was named the team's Most Valuable Player. Urlacher set a new school record for tackles in a season with 125, breaking the 19-year-old record set by Bob Shaw in 1982 by three. Urlacher was also named All-Midwest Conference after leading the league in tackles.

Urlacher's presence on the team, however, was not limited to defense. He returned 14 kickoffs for 288 yards (20.6 per return) and a touchdown. Urlacher also ran for two touchdowns as well as a two-point conversion, caught a pass, was a lead blocker in short-yardage situations, and served as the personal protector for Second-Team All-MWC punter Pat Dunne (Palos Heights, IL/Marist).

Sophomore slot receiver Nick Rossie (Deerfield, IL/Deerfield) was voted the squad's Most Improved Player. Rossie caught 35 passes for 354 yards (10.1 per reception) and a team-leading five touchdowns. He made at least one reception in nine of ten games, with a season-high eight coming in the team's season finale on November 17th.

Approximately 200 people were in attendance for this year's awards ceremony. Awards were handed out to all varsity letter-winners from the school's six fall sports - football, men's soccer, women's soccer, volleyball, cross country and women's tennis.