blog posts Three Illini named national player of the year semifinalists Nov 1, 2022 9:15 am by Division of Intercollegiate AthleticsAthletics Share on Facebook Tweet Email Images A trio of Fighting Illini standouts – Chase Brown, Devon Witherspoon, and Jer'Zhan Newton – were named semifinalists for the Maxwell Award for the Player of the Year and the Chuck Bednarik Award for Defensive Player of the Year. Share on Facebook Tweet Email