As a freshman athlete with an injured knee, Dennis Gardeck spent the fall of 2013 as a redshirt, yearning to play any role possible with the West Virginia State football team.

“I did whatever it took to be a part of the team,” said Gardeck, a Crystal Lake South graduate. “I filmed every practice and every game. I’d come down at halftime to take Gatorade and snacks to the guys.”

Two years later, the NCAA Division II team’s coaches can’t keep Gardeck off the field.

The redshirt sophomore linebacker leads the Yellow Jackets in four defensive categories, including tackles (37). He also leads the team and the Mountain East Conference in sacks (six), tackles for loss (11½) and forced fumbles (two).

“His focus every day to improve is what sets Dennis apart,” said Nick Benedetto, a fellow Crystal Lake South grad and WVSU’s defensive coordinator. “His effort, toughness and knowledge of the game are outstanding. Dennis will not get outworked by anybody.”

Gardeck, the team’s starting weakside linebacker, has helped WVSU to a 2-2 record and a No. 2 ranking nationally in tackles for loss per game (10.8).

Playing close to the line of scrimmage has been a welcome change for Gardeck.

“I’ve never played in the box before,” he said. “I played outside all through high school.”

His focus, quite simply is to be physical.

“I play football to hit people,” he said. “I want to be in on the play.”

Gardeck is quick to credit middle linebacker Mitch Rowell, the team’s defensive line and Benedetto for his contributions. Rowell and Gardeck regularly run stunts to free up one of the two to cause havoc.

As for Benedetto, “I believe in him 100 percent,” said Gardeck, who is used frequently as a blitzer. “He’s put me in a lot of these opportunities to make plays.”

Winning two games this early in the season is a bit of a breakthrough for the Yellow Jackets.

Over the previous five seasons, WVSU has had two winless seasons and posted a 5-47 record.

“I’m pretty sure every team in the conference looked forward to playing us,” Gardeck said. “We’ve been able to turn around the culture. Before, we’d have one bad quarter it would be over. If we had a bad second quarter, the third and fourth quarters wouldn’t matter. We’re more resilient and able to fight through adversity.”

Having been a redshirt himself, Gardeck makes sure players who are redshirted now feel part of the team.

“When fall camp ended and it was determined who would redshirt, I told the guys, ‘You’re a valued member of this team. We just have other guys in front of you right now,” he said. “I helped calm them down. I tell them, ‘Bust your butt in the weight room and work hard in your classes.’”

Warhawk heads to nationals: Wisconsin-Whitewater sophomore tennis player Jillian Wallace and teammate Alicia Beck won the doubles championship last weekend at the US Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Regional Championships to earn a place in this month's Small College National Championships.

Wallace, a Crystal Lake Central grad, and Beck were seeded 10th in the D-III event and defeated teams seeded first, third, fourth and sixth to earn All-America honors. The duo also won Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Doubles Athlete of the Week honors. Wallace is 10-0 in doubles this season and 6-1 in singles after advancing to the Round of 16 at the USTA/ITA regional.

Powering the Pioneers: Johnsburg grad Caden Pruitt was named Monday as the Midwest Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week.

A junior midfielder at D-III Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Pruitt scored both goals in the Pioneers’ 2-1, double-overtime victory against St. Norbert. Pruitt’s winning goal came on a 30-yard shot with just over 90 seconds remaining in the second OT.

Pruitt’s four goals lead the Pioneers (3-4-1) this season, and he has added two assists. His 10 points and 15 shots on goal also lead the team.

Double duty at Ohio: Senior setter Abby Gilleland (Marian Central) won two awards this week for her play as D-I Ohio University's setter. Gilleland won the Mid-American Conference East Division's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors.

While leading her team to two wins on the opening weekend of conference play, Gilleland averaged 10 assists, 4.43 digs and 2.86 kills per set.

In a 3-1 victory against Miami (Ohio) University, Gilleland posted her first triple-double this season with career highs in digs (22) and kills (13) to go along with 39 assists.

Huskie hotshot: Northern Illinois senior women's golfer Connie Ellett (Hampshire) shot a career-low 221 in last month's 54-hole Cardinal Classic at Ball State, helping the Huskies to a third-place finish and a school-record score of 888.

Ellett tied for 10th in the field individually, posting scores of 73, 76 and 72 at The Players Club in Yorkville, Indiana.

• Barry Bottino writes a weekly column about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and follow @BarryOnCampus on Twitter.