Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton football team is ranked eighth in the Division III preseason poll in the recently released 2015 Sporting News College football preseason magazine. The Thunder earns the recognition following a 2014 season in which the program posted a 10-0 regular season record, won the CCIW Championship for the second time in three years and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Playoffs. Wheaton is the highest ranked CCIW program in the poll, ahead of North Central College in 17th place.

Senior linebacker Adam Dansdill was honored as a preseason All-American in the magazine. Dansdill, the 2014 CCIW Defensive Player of the Year, led the Thunder with 133 total tackles in 2014, including 65 solo stops. He recorded a team-best 11 passes broken up and also tallied seven tackles for lost yardage (-15 yards) in his junior season.  Dansdill led the CCIW in total tackles in 2014 with 71 stops in conference play.

The Thunder will open the 2015 season at Coe College on September 5 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Wheaton's home opener will take place on September 12 against Adrian College.