Wheaton, Ill. - Junior defensive lineman Patrick O'Connell was named this week's College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Defensive Player of the Week by the conference office on Monday afternoon. The weekly honor is the first of his career.

O'Connell led a ferocious Wheaton defense that held Monmouth to just 54 yards of total offense last Saturday in the season opener. He registered a team-high 3.5 tackles for loss (-12 yards). O'Connell added two quarterback hurries and tallied one of Wheaton's two pass break-ups on the day.

O'Connell's 3-1/2 tackles for loss last Saturday was the most by any CCIW player in the conference for the opening week of the season and tied for fourth in all of Division III for the opening weekend. Wheaton's 12 tackles for loss against Monmouth ranked fifth in all of Division III last Saturday

Wheaton will next be in action on September 15 in a 6:00 p.m. kickoff at Illinois Wesleyan.