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
- November 3: Women’s Soccer versus Edgewood University (Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament)
- November 5: Women’s Volleyball at Rockford University
- November 6: Women’s Basketball versus Beloit College
- November 7: Women’s Volleyball at Edgewood University
- November 7: Women’s Soccer hosts Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament Championships (Must Win Tuesday, November 3)
Now, here’s a look at the action from the week beginning October 26, 2026.
Women’s Volleyball Rolls to Pair of Conference Wins
The Illinois Tech women’s volleyball team cruised to a pair of Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference wins last week, beating Benedictine 3-1 on Thursday, October 29, and sweeping St. Norbert 3-0 on Saturday, October 31. The Scarlet Hawks improved to 16-9 overall and 7-3 in NACC play.
Payton Smith (PSYC 3rd Year) led the way against Benedictine with 19 kills, with Sydney Wilson (B.ARCH. 3rd Year) adding 11 kills, 12 digs, and five service aces. Smith also led the way with 13 kills, to go along with six digs and three service aces, against St. Norbert, while teammate Karla Trautmann Mendez (B.ARCH. 4th Year) added nine kills and nine digs.
Women’s Soccer Opens NACC Tourney with Win
Emma Conway (B.ARCH. 1st Year) scored in the 57th minute to help the Illinois Tech women’s soccer team ease past Concordia University Chicago 1-0 in the opening round of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference tournament on Saturday, October 31.
The win capped a busy week that saw the Scarlet Hawks (15-6, 11-1 NACC) also clinch the NACC regular season title with a 5-0 win over Rockford on Wednesday, October 28, and fall 1-0 to #10 University of Chicago on Thursday, October 29.
Against Rockford, Kaitlyn Walsh (CE 4th Year) scored two goals for the Scarlet Hawks and Avery Sealey (BIOL 4th Year) and Taylor Hernandez (AE 2nd Year) each added one goal. Against UChicago, Clara Estiandan (CE 2nd Year) made 10 saves.
Swimming Teams Finish Third at Augie Invite
The Illinois Tech men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed at the Augie Invite on Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, at the Anne Greve Lund Natatorium in Rock Island, Illinois. Both teams finished third, with the men’s team scoring 573 points and the women’s team scoring 405.
The Scarlet Hawk men’s team was led by Zeng Wye Liew (BME 2nd Year), who won the 200 individual medley in 1 minute, 55 seconds and finished second in two events: the 100 breaststroke (57.33 seconds) and the 200 breaststroke (2:05.82). Jack Jones (AE 1st Year) finished second in the 500 freestyle and the 1650 freestyle, while Colin Schultz (CHEM 3rd Year) was second in the one-meter and three-meter diving events.
In the women’s meet, Illinois Tech was led by Larua Luz Lopez Diaz (AE 1st Year), who finished second in the one-meter diving (187.2 points) and three-meter diving (194.65) events. Elishka Janout (B.ARCH. 3rd Year) added a runner-up finish in the 200 butterfly (2:24.41).
Men’s Soccer’s Season Comes to End in NACC Tourney
The Illinois Tech men’s soccer team saw its season come to an end on Sunday, November 1, in a 2-0 loss to Benedictine (Illinois) in the first round of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament. The Scarlet Hawks (10-6-2, 7-3-2 NACC) capped their regular season by winning 3-0 at Rockford on Wednesday, October 28.
In the win over Rockford, the Scarlet Hawks got goals from Paul Balea (DSC 4th Year), Cal Graham (CS 3rd Year), and Junior Pineda-Alcala (B.ARCH. 2nd Year). David Rodriguez (AE, AMAT 4th Year) made three saves against Benedictine.
Cross County Competes in NACC Championships
Illinois Tech’s men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championship meet on Saturday, October 31, at Settler’s Hill Cross Country Course in Geneva, Illinois.
The Scarlet Hawks men’s team finished ninth as a team in the men’s 8K race, led by Cole Shilley (CE 1st Year), who finished 60th overall in 30 minutes, 38.20 seconds. Teammate Jeremiah Simons (ME 1st Year) was 64th overall in 31:10.80.
The women’s team did not compete in the team competition but had two finishers in the women’s 6K race: Annika McKown (ME 4th Year), who was 62nd overall in 28:02.90, and Emily Galgano (B.ARCH. 1st Year), who was 87th in 31:34.10.
Estiandan Earns NACC Student-Athlete of the Week Honor
Clara Estiandan (CE 2nd Year) was named Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Student-Athlete of the Week for Women’s Soccer–Defensive Player for her play last week.
Estiandan recorded a clean sheet by giving up no goals in the Scarlet Hawks’ NACC tournament opener against Concordia and made 10 saves, including saving a penalty kick and making a spectacular diving save, in a tight loss to #10 University of Chicago.
Scarlet Hawks of the Week
Men’s swimming and diving student-athlete Zeng Wye Liew (BME 2nd Year) and women’s volleyball student-athlete Payton Smith (PSYC 3rd Year) were named the Scarlet Hawks of the Week for the week of October 26, 2026.