COMPLETE ALL-CCIW FOOTBALL TEAM

Wheaton, Ill. – The CCIW announced its All-Conference football team on Tuesday, with 12 members of the Wheaton College football team earning selections. Three Wheaton players earned First Team recognition with nine Thunder honorees on the Second Team. Seven of Wheaton's All-Conference selections were on the defensive side of the ball, with five on offense. Wheaton has a 9-1 record this season with a 6-1 mark in conference play. Earlier this week, the Thunder earned an at-large selection to the 2010 NCAA Division III Football Championship and will host Coe College at noon on Saturday in a First Round game of the playoffs.

Senior center Nick Biggee was a First Team All-CCIW pick on the offensive line, while senior left tackle Tommy Burggraf and senior right tackle Luke Griffith both earned Second Team recognition. Biggee, Burggraf and Griffith have been an integral part of Wheaton's offensive line this season. The trio are starting linemen for a Thunder offense that averaged 406.3 yards of offense per game, with a balanced attack that averages 203.7 rushing yards per game and 202.6 passing yards a game.

Two Wheaton players earned All-CCIW honors as defensive backs. Senior corner back Tyler Langs (PICTURED RIGHT) was a First Team honoree and junior safety Brian McMullen picked up Second Team recognition for the second consecutive year. Langs has intercepted a team-high six passes this season, with 10 passes broken-up. He has made 35 total tackles, with 22 solo stops and a fumble recovery. His four interceptions in league games ranked second in the CCIW this season. McMullen is second on the Thunder defense with 47 total tackles this season, including 26 solo stops. He has recorded six tackles for loss (-15 yards), with two interceptions and five passes broken up.

Three Thunder linemen earned All-CCIW recognition. Junior defensive end JD East is a First Team selection, while senior defensive tackle Charley Mitchell and junior defensive end Robert Ramsay are Second Team picks. East has tallied 42 total tackles this season, including nine tackles for lost yardage (-53 yards), with four quarterback sacks and eight QB hurries. Mitchell has been an anchor at defensive tackle this season, with 32 total tackles, two QB hurries and two forced fumbles. Ramsay has recorded 37 tackles, including eight for lost yardage (-36 yards), with 3-1/2 sacks. Ramsay leads the Thunder with 12 quarterback hurries and also has a safety to his credit.

Thunder linebackers Cory Hart (PICTURED RIGHT) and Jordan Chapman earned Second Team All-CCIW accolades. Hart has made 35 total tackles this season, including a team-best 10 tackles for lost yardage (-52 yards), with three sacks. He has forced two fumbles and recovered a pair of fumbles. Chapman leads Wheaton with a team-best 58 total tackles this year, including 23 solo stops. He has 5-1/2 tackles for lost yardage (-28 yards), including 2-1/2 sacks (-21 yards) and a forced fumble.

Senior wide receiver Freddy Ellis (PICTURED LEFT) earned Second Team All-Conference honors for the second consecutive season. Ellis led the Thunder with 35 catches for 543 yards. He has averaged 15.5 yards per catch, with a pair of touchdown receptions.

Senior Austin Zoerhof (PICTURED RIGHT) was a Second Team All-CCIW selection at tight end. Zoerhof has 16 receptions on the season, for 245 yards. He averages 15.3 yards per catch and made a team-best four touchdown catches on the year.