Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton football team is ranked eighth in the 2016 Division III preseason poll released by D3football.com on Tuesday. The Thunder earns the recognition following a 2015 season in which the program posted a 10-0 regular season record for the second consecutive season, a first for the program. Wheaton won the CCIW Championship for the third time in four years and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs.

The Thunder football program is the highest ranked CCIW program in the poll, ahead of North Central College in 13th place. Wheaton is the second-highest ranked team for the NCAA Division III North Region, behind only top-ranked, defending National Champion, University of Mount Union.

This marks the 11th time that the Thunder program has been ranked in the website's preseason top-25 since D3football.com began its preseason poll in 2004.

The Thunder will open the 2016 season at home on September 3 against Benedictine University.