Wheaton, Ill. – CJ Nightingale, defensive coordinator of the Wheaton Thunder football team since 2019, is departing Wheaton for a new role as a head coach. On Sunday, Belhaven University announced Nightingale as its eighth head football coach. He will take over a Belhaven program that is coming off its most successful season in program history, with a 9-1 record in 2023. The Blazers made their first appearance in the NCAA Division III Playoffs as championship of the USA South conference.
 
Wheaton head football coach Jesse Scott says, "I want to thank Coach Nightingale for his service to our program and the ways that he has invested during the past five years in every aspect of our program. I am grateful for his leadership of our defense and his constant desire to see our program get better. I am excited for CJ, Shanel, and their family as they dive into this new opportunity."

A 2014 graduate of Wheaton, Nightingale was a four-year letterwinner for the Thunder at defensive back from 2010-2013. He was a member of the 2010 Thunder squad that earned a NCAA Playoff appearance and the Wheaton squad that won a CCIW co-Championship in 2012. During his tenure as defensive coordinator, Wheaton won the CCIW Championship in 2019 and made NCAA Division III Playoff appearances in each of those four seasons.

During his tenure at Wheaton, Nightingale's defense led Division III in four statistical categories. The 2019 Thunder defense led the nation in scoring defense, total defense, and passing efficiency defense, while it was second in the country in rush defense. In 2021, Wheaton led Division III in sacks and was second in country in rushing defense. Nightingale has mentored five Thunder defensive players that earned All-American awards and 23 All-CCIW honors in his four seasons as defensive coordinator.