https://athletics.wheaton.edu/rss.aspx?path=wpoloLatest news items for Wheaton College Athleticsen-us60https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/6/2/general-wheaton-athletics-department-receives-ncaa-division-iii-grant-paige-andrews-to-join-thunder-athletics-in-a-new-role.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/6/2/general-wheaton-athletics-department-receives-ncaa-division-iii-grant-paige-andrews-to-join-thunder-athletics-in-a-new-role.aspxSoftball, General

Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton Athletics Department was awarded a NCAA Division III Opportunity Grant this spring. Wheaton received the Division III Pathway to Excellence Grant, providing funding for two years for the department to create an entry-level athletics administration position. The Wheaton Athletics Department was notified of receiving the grant in late February. The grant was based on Wheaton's proposal to create an Athletics Communications/Athletics Operations Coordinator position.]]>Paige AndrewsTue, 2 Jun 2026 14:30:00 CST1615424https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/6/1/chase-smith-and-trevor-gabriele-are-elevated-to-new-roles-on-wheaton-football-staff.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/6/1/chase-smith-and-trevor-gabriele-are-elevated-to-new-roles-on-wheaton-football-staff.aspxFootball

Wheaton, Ill. – Wheaton head football coach Jesse Scott has announced the promotion of two assistant coaches for the Thunder football coaching staff for the upcoming season. Chase Smith and Trevor Gabriele continue as Thunder assistant coaches for the 2026 campaign moving from part-time coaching positions to full-time roles.]]>Wheaton Football LogoMon, 1 Jun 2026 14:12:00 CST515423https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/26/mens-basketball-wheaton-mens-basketball-team-embarks-on-a-sports-ministry-trip-to-greece-updated-5-25.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/26/mens-basketball-wheaton-mens-basketball-team-embarks-on-a-sports-ministry-trip-to-greece-updated-5-25.aspxMen's Basketball

Wheaton, Ill. -- The Thunder men's basketball team will be traveling to Greece next week for a sports ministry trip in partnership with Beyond Sports. The team is set to depart campus on Monday, May 18 and will return to Wheaton on Wednesday, May 27. The men's basketball coaches and student-athletes will be joined in Greece by Dr. David Lauber, Dean of Humanities and Theological Studies at Wheaton College, and the group will spend one half of their trip in Athens and the other half in Thessaloniki.]]>Wheaton Men's Basketball in GreeceTue, 26 May 2026 23:05:00 CST315421https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/22/womens-track-and-field-grace-crowder-concludes-her-season-at-the-ncaa-diii-outdoor-track-field-championships.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/22/womens-track-and-field-grace-crowder-concludes-her-season-at-the-ncaa-diii-outdoor-track-field-championships.aspxWomen's Track and Field

La Crosse, Wis. -- Wheaton College junior Grace Crowder competed in the women's high jump on Friday at the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Crowder finished 19th in the 22-woman field in the high jump.]]>Grace CrowderFri, 22 May 2026 18:07:00 CST2515417https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/21/football-jaxon-powell-receives-the-2026-chris-martin-perseverance-award-from-the-cciw.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/21/football-jaxon-powell-receives-the-2026-chris-martin-perseverance-award-from-the-cciw.aspxFootball

Wheaton, Ill. – The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) announced the recipients of the 2026 Chris Martin Perseverance Award this morning, bestowing the honor to Wheaton football player Jaxon Powell and Mara Walker of the Augustana women's swimming team. This marks the seventh year that the CCIW has recognized a student-athlete with the Chris Martin Perseverance Award, and Powell is the second Wheaton student-athlete to earn the honor since it was awarded by the CCIW in 2020. He joins 2024 recipient Annie Tate (women's basketball) as the two honorees from Wheaton.]]>Jaxon PowellThu, 21 May 2026 15:53:00 CST515415https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/20/womens-basketball-updates-from-the-thunder-womens-basketball-sports-ministry-trip-to-costa-rica-updated-5-19.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/20/womens-basketball-updates-from-the-thunder-womens-basketball-sports-ministry-trip-to-costa-rica-updated-5-19.aspxWomen's Basketball

The Thunder women's basketball team departs campus on Monday, May 11 for a weeklong sports ministry trip to Costa Rica. The program has partnered with High Performance Sports (HPS) and will be serving in Costa Rica on athletic missions from January 11-18.  In Costa Rica, the players, coaches, alumnae and staff will serve in over three different ministries (special needs, widows, children and teens, etc.), compete against local teams, and conduct basketball clinics. Everyone will also have opportunities to explore the area of Coronado, near Bráulio Carrillo National Park, do white water rafting in the Pacuare River and visit area communities.]]>Wheaton Women's Basketball in Costa RicaWed, 20 May 2026 17:55:00 CST1715414https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/15/womens-track-and-field-grace-crowder-is-selected-to-compete-at-the-ncaa-diii-outdoor-track-field-championships.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/15/womens-track-and-field-grace-crowder-is-selected-to-compete-at-the-ncaa-diii-outdoor-track-field-championships.aspxWomen's Track and Field

Wheaton, Ill. -- The selections for the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships have been announced, and Wheaton junior Grace Crowder has qualified for the upcoming national meet in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The New Hampshire native will compete in the women's high jump event on Friday, May 22 as the first Thunder women's track & field athlete to participate in the outdoor national championships since 2023. Crowder is set to make her debut at the outdoor finals after collecting Second Team All-America recognition from the USTFCCCA in the high jump at the DIII indoor championships in March.]]>Grace CrowderFri, 15 May 2026 19:57:00 CST2515411https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/14/mens-track-and-field-track-field-closes-out-season-at-midwest-twilight-qualifier-mens-400-meter-relay-team-breaks-school-record.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/14/mens-track-and-field-track-field-closes-out-season-at-midwest-twilight-qualifier-mens-400-meter-relay-team-breaks-school-record.aspxMen's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field

Rock Island, Ill. -- Select members of the Wheaton track & field teams traveled to western Illinois this week to take part in the two-day Midwest Twilight Final Qualifier hosted by Augustana College. 20 student-athletes represented the Thunder at Wednesday and Thursday's meet, and both the men's and women's squads enjoyed multiple noteworthy performances in the last team competition on the spring schedule. Wheaton's slate of results was highlighted by the men's 4x100-meter relay group of Dan Sanoussi, Isaac Bledsoe, Joseph Rosenthal, and Aidan Langan, who set a new program record in the race.]]>Men's 400-meter relay teamThu, 14 May 2026 21:10:00 CST2415409https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/9/womens-track-and-field-thunder-track-field-teams-compete-at-the-st-francis-fighting-chance-invite.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/9/womens-track-and-field-thunder-track-field-teams-compete-at-the-st-francis-fighting-chance-invite.aspxWomen's Track and Field

Joliet, Ill. – The Wheaton men's and women's track and field teams sent members to the St. Francis Fighting Chance Invite this weekend. The event was a "last chance meet" as competitors participated with the purpose of qualifying for the upcoming national championships.]]>Heidi KrekelbergSat, 9 May 2026 23:26:00 CST2515405https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/8/general-wyatt-lee-named-offensive-coordinator-for-the-thunder-football-team.aspxhttps://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2026/5/8/general-wyatt-lee-named-offensive-coordinator-for-the-thunder-football-team.aspxFootball

Wheaton, Ill. – Wheaton head football coach Jesse Scott has announced the promotion of Wyatt Lee as offensive coordinator for the Thunder football program. The upcoming  2026 season will be Lee's fifth as a Thunder assistant coach after graduating from Wheaton in the spring of 2022. Lee was promoted to a full-time defensive coaching position following the 2023 campaign and served as the Special Teams Coordinator and defensive backs coach for two seasons.]]>Wyatt Lee - Offensive CoordinatorFri, 8 May 2026 17:19:00 CST515404