Wheaton, Ill. (2/6) – The Football Gazette Division III All-American Team was released last week and it included two members of the Thunder football team. Wheaton junior defensive end Andy Studebaker was named as a First Team All-American, joining junior offensive lineman Geoff Rowson on the First Team. The duo was also named to the Division III All-North Region, joining Pete Ittersagen, a Third Team All-Region pick at defensive back.
In addition to his First All-American and All-Region honors from Football Gazette, Studebaker was named the North Region “Defensive Lineman of the Year” by the organization. Studebaker, the 2006 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Defensive Player of the Year was unanimous All-American selection this year earning recognition from D3Football.com, Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association. Studebaker led the CCIW with 17-1/2 (-142 yards) quarterback sacks this season and was also the league leader in tackles for lost yardage with 25-1/2 (-161 yards). Studebaker tied the school record for sacks in a single season. The junior's 17-1/2 sacks are the most of any player at any NCAA level this year. He tallied 44 total tackles this season, with 28 solo stops.
Rowson, a right guard for the Thunder, is a two-time earns All-CCIW selection for Wheaton. He was a First Team All-Conference member of a Wheaton offensive line that was ranked 10th in Division III in yards per game with 421.9 yards of offense per game. Wheaton was also ranked 31st in rushing with 187.9 yards per game on the ground and was 31st in passing with 234 yards per game through the air.
Pete Ittersagen was a Third Team All-North region selection at cornerback by Football Gazette. The two-time First Team All-CCIW pick led the Thunder with four interceptions (-59 yards) and a team-best 11 pass deflections this season. He was third on the team with 60 total tackles and recorded a team-best 45 solo tackles. Ittersagen reached the end zone twice this season with an interception returned for a touchdown against Washington University (Mo.) and a punt returned 79 yards for a touchdown against the College of Mount St. Joseph in the NCAA Division III Playoffs' First Round.
