LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Illinois State sophomore offensive lineman Erik Mikkelson has persevered through emotional and physical pain to earn a starting spot on the Redbird football team. As a result, Mikkelson was honored with the Mental Toughness Award, one of several awards presented at the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter Awards Ceremony Monday evening at Halas Hall.
The National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter started presenting the Mental Toughness Award in 2012, with the first two honors going to Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa and Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish. Mikkelson is the fifth Redbird player to be honored with the award, following in the footsteps of Pat Meehan (2014), Dion Starnes (2015), Brent Spack (2016) and Jamal Towns (2017).