Each week, the Illinois Tech Athletics Digest will look back at the week that was in Scarlet Hawks athletics and provide a brief glimpse at what is up next.
Up First
- October 7: Women’s Volleyball at Concorida University Chicago
- October 7: Women’s Soccer at Lakeland University
- October 7: Men’s Soccer versus Lakeland University
- October 10: Women’s Tennis at Wisconsin Lutheran College
- October 10: Women’s Volleyball at Wisconsin Lutheran College
- October 10: Men’s Soccer versus Wisconsin Lutheran College (Senior Day)
- October 10: Women’s Soccer versus Wisconsin Lutheran College (Senior Day)
- October 10: Men’s and Women’s Swimming at Diving at Wisconsin-Whitewater
Now, here’s a look at the action from the week beginning September 28, 2026.
Men’s Soccer Posts Unbeaten Week
The Illinois Tech men’s soccer team went unbeaten last week, playing to a scoreless draw at Benedictine on Tuesday, September 30, and winning 4-2 at Marian (Wisconsin) on Saturday, October 3.
The Scarlet Hawks (6-4-1, 3-2-1 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference) saw Theo Balea (ACIT 2nd Year), Junior Pineda-Alcala (B.ARCH. 2nd Year), and Cal Graham (CS 3rd Year) all score in the win over Marian, while Paul Balea (DSC 4th Year) added two assists.
Women’s Soccer Pushes NACC Winning Streak to Six
The Illinois Tech women’s soccer team cruised to two more Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference wins last week before falling 2-0 at #20 Calvin on Monday, October 5. The Scarlet Hawks (9-4, 6-0 NACC) beat Benedictine 8-0 on Wednesday, September 30, and Marian (Wisconsin) 4-1 on Saturday, October 3.
Olivia Roy (PSYC 1st Year) scored three goals, Eva Narvarte (B.ARCH. 3rd Year) added three assists, and Tvesa Vathulya (PSYC 2nd Year) and Kaitlyn Walsh (CE 4th Year) each scored a goal and added an assist in the win over Benedictine. Against Marian, Taylor Hernandez (AE 2nd Year) scored a goal and had an assist, and Narvarte, Vathulya, and Walsh each scored a goal. Clara Estiandan (CE 2nd Year) made five saves against Calvin.
Women’s Volleyball Claims Two NACC Wins
The Illinois Tech women’s volleyball earned a 3-1 win over Concordia Wisconsin in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play on Thursday, October 1, and beat NACC foe Marian (Wisconsin) 3-1 on Saturday, October 3. In the same tri-match with Marian, the Scarlett Hawks (11-6, 2-1 NACC) fell to #16 University of Chicago 3-0.
Against Concorida, Brooke Rifkin (FINA 4th Year) had 22 digs and three service aces, Rowan Midgette (AE 3rd Year) added 34 assists and 11 digs, Karla Trautmann Mendez (B.ARCH. 4th Year) chipped in 13 kills and 14 digs, and Payton Smith (PSYC 3rd Year) had 12 kills, eight digs, and two service aces. Smith had a team-best 15 points (12 digs and nine kills) against Marian, while Sydney Wilson (B.ARCH. 3rd Year) had 12 kills and Victoria Aspurez (PSYC 4th Year) added 10 kills.
Women’s Tennis Rolls to Conference Win
The Illinois Tech women’s tennis team cruised to a victory at Marian (Wisconsin) on Saturday, October 3, winning 7-0. It was the third straight win for the Scarlet Hawks (4-3, 4-1 NACC).
Earning wins for Illinois Tech were Martyna Kalinowska (CS 3rd Year), Annaliese Kielmeyer (BME 1st Year), Angelica Conwell (B.ARCH. 5th Year), Thea Salcedo (CHE 2nd Year), Paige Geiger (B.ARCH. 4th Year), and Kira Lai (AE 1st Year) in singles, while the doubles teams of Kielmeyer/Kalinowska, Maia Lecuona Ramos (BME 2nd Year)/Salcedo, and Conwell/Lai also won.
Cross County Competes in Rock Island
Annika McKown (ME 4th Year) finished 131st in 29 minutes, 41.1 seconds in the women’s 6K race and Benjamin Gaeta (ME 2nd Year) was 166th in 29:54.4 in the men’s 8K to lead the Illinois Tech men’s and women’s cross country teams at Augustana College’s Brissman Lundeen Invitation at Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Illinois, on Saturday, October 3.
Scarlet Hawks of the Week
Women’s soccer student-athlete Leyna Yonehara (FORC 3rd Year) and men’s tennis student-athlete Tanay Sharma (UNDE 2nd Year) were named the Scarlet Hawks of the Week for the week of September 28, 2026.