Wheaton, Ill. – The Wheaton football team is ranked sixth in the 2017 Division III preseason poll released by D3football.com on Monday. The Thunder earns the recognition following a 2016 season in which the program posted an 11-2 record, advancing to the NCAA Division III Playoffs' Quarterfinals for the third time in program history.

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

This marks the 12th time that the Thunder program has been ranked in the website's preseason top-25 since D3football.com began its preseason poll in 2004. Sixth is tied for the highest ranking Wheaton has earned in the website's annual preseason poll. The Thunder football program was ranked sixth in the 2009 D3football.com Preseason Top-25. The Wheaton football program has been ranked in the top-10 five times in the websites's preseason poll, including 2015, 2016 and 2017.

The Thunder will open the 2017 season at home on September 2 at Benedictine University.