OFFICIAL ALL-CCIW ANNOUNCEMENT

Wheaton, Ill. – Nine members of the Wheaton College football team have been named to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) All-Conference Team for 2009. Five Wheaton players earned First Team recognition with four Thunder honorees on the Second Team. Five of Wheaton's All-Conference selections were on the defensive side of the ball, with four on offense.

Senior offensive tackle Justin Carpenter was a First Team All-CCIW pick on the offensive line and junior center Nick Biggee earned Second Team recognition. Carpenter and Biggee were both critical starting linemen for a Thunder offense that averaged 403 yards of offense per game, including 167.1 rushing yards per game.

Two Thunder linebackers earned All-Conference recognition. Senior Ryan Hoyt was a First Team honoree, while fellow senior #Steven Lutes#  was a Second Team pick. Hoyt was tied for second among Wheaton defensive players with 52 total tackles, including 32 solo stops. The senior made nine tackles for lost yardage (-40 yards), including a team-high five quarterback sacks (-36 yards). All five of Hoyt's sacks came in conference action, as he made 39 tackles in league action. Lutes made 47 total tackles this season, including 44 in conference contests. The team captain recorded eight tackles for lost yardage (-29 yards) on the season including six in conference contests.

Two Wheaton players earned All-CCIW honors at defensive back. Senior safety Brian Hollett was a First Team honoree and sophomore safety Brian McMullen picked up Second Team recognition. Hollett led the Thunder with a team-high 71 total tackles this season, including 46 solo stops. He also recorded four pass break-ups, with two interceptions and a forced fumble. He made 49 tackles in CCIW games, and both of his interceptions came in league action. McMullen tied Hoyt for second on the Thunder defense with 52 total tackles this season. The sophomore also had 9.5 tackles for lost yardage (-19 yards), with six pass break-ups and two interceptions.

Senior defensive tackle Nick Theobald earned All-Conference recognition for the second consecutive season Theobald was a First Team defensive line pick this season, after earning Second Team recognition last season as a junior. An anchor on the Thunder defensive line, Theobald tallied 30 total tackles this season, with 1-1/2 tackles for lost yardage.

Sophomore running back Charlie Velling was a First Team All-CCIW selection, in recognition of his breakout season. Velling progressed into an integral role for the Thunder as the season wore on ran for 683 yards in nine games this season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry with a team-high six touchdowns. Velling was second in the CCIW with an average of 85.4 rushing yards per game against league foes.

Senior wide receiver Freddy Ellis earned Second Team All-Conference honors. Ellis led the Thunder with 38 catches for 579 yards and a team-best seven touchdown receptions this season. In conference games, Ellis caught 26 passes for 307 yards, with three touchdown receptions.