Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton College football team is well-represented on the 2008 D3football.com All-North Region Team, with six Wheaton players earning All-Region honors. Wheaton (11-2) will travel to Mount Union College on Saturday for its first-ever NCAA Division III National Semifinal appearance.

Senior Pete Ittersagen was tabbed as a First Team All-North Region selection at both defensive back and return specialist for the second straight year. Ittersagen was also recognized as the North Region “Defensive Player of the Year” by the website. At cornerback, Ittersagen has recorded 61 total tackles this season, with 46 solo stops. He has three interceptions this season, with 12 passes broken-up. With 61 career passes defended, Ittersagen is among the all-time Division III leaders in the category. Ittersagen has been a dominating force in the return game this season with 904 total return yards and three kicks/punts for touchdowns. He has returned 25 punts for 464 yards, averaging 18.6 yards per return, with two touchdowns. He is currently second in Division III in yards per punt return. He has also racked up 440 yards on 15 kick returns for an average of 29.3 yards per return with one touchdown.

Ittersagen has returned a punt for a touchdown five times in his career, to hold Wheaton's career record for punts returned into the end zone. He has eight career returns for a touchdown in his career, with five punts, three interceptions returned for a touchdown and a kickoff returned for a TD. In his career, Ittersagen has 65 punts returns for 1,075 yards (16.5 YPR) and is Wheaton's career record-holder in punt return yardage.

Kicker Tim Ellingsen (PICTURED RIGHT) earned First Team All-Region recognition for his effort this season. The Thunder senior is 13-of-18 on field goal attempts this season, to set a new Wheaton single-season record for field goals. His mark of 13, bested the previous record of 12 which was held by Chris Baughman (1999). He kicked a career long field goal of 47 yards in a Thunder win at Augustana this season and was 3-for-4 from between 40 and 49 yards. He also established a Wheaton single-season record for PAT kicks, with 55.

Senior Jesse Scott (PICTURED LEFT) earned First Team All-North Region honors at offensive tackle. Scott earned First Team All-CCIW recognition earlier this year. He is a standout offensive lineman for a Thunder offense that racked up 5,353 yards of offense this season, averaging 411.8 yards per game. Wheaton averaged 172.3 rushing yards per game and put up 239.5 passing yards per game behind a line that is led by Scott.

Senior receiver Alex Pokorny (PICTURED RIGHT) also earned First Team All-Region honors from the website thanks to a record-setting season. Pokorny has caught 73 passes this year for 1,347 yards, averaging 103.6 yards per game. He has caught 17 touchdown passes this year and averaged 18.5 yards per catch. He has established new Wheaton single-season records for touchdown receptions (17) and receiving yards (1,347 yards). In three playoff games this season, Pokorny has caught 21 passes for 323 yards, and three touchdowns. He has caught 109 passes in his career, for 2,068 yards, with 25 touchdown receptions.

Thunder running back Rocky Gingg (PICTURED LEFT) also earned First Team All-Region honors for his breakout sophomore campaign. Gingg has carried the ball 280 times for 1,290 yards with 15 touchdowns this season. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and 99.2 rushing yards per game. His 1,290 yards this year is the second-highest single-season total in school history. In Wheaton's three playoff games, Gingg has carried the ball 69 times for 367 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He has averaged 122.3 yards per game in the postseason with three touchdowns.

Linebacker Stephen Pagh (PICTURED RIGHT) earned Third-Team All-North Region honors. The senior led Wheaton this season with 78 total tackles, including 48 solo stops, in 12 games. He recorded eight tackles for lost yardage of 22 yards, including two quarterback sacks. Pagh, a First Team All-CCIW selection, also recorded a pass interception and a forced fumble this year.