Wheaton, Ill. - Wheaton senior wide receiver Ben Bonga has been named a CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week in football, on the offensive side of the ball. The honor is the second time this season that Bonga has been selected as the "Offensive Player of the Week", also picking up the recognition on September 30.

Bonga was everywhere, including the end zone on Saturday in Wheaton's 42-21 victory against Illinois Wesleyan as he had four touchdown receptions, one touchdown catch short of teammate Caleb Titherington's Wheaton single-game record of five TD catches. The Thunder senior is just the seventh Division III player to have four TD catches in a game this season. Bonga recorded eight catches for 160 yards in the contest as he was accountable for 160 of Wheaton's 272 receiving yards in the victory. 

Bonga gave the Thunder a 7-0 lead with his first touchdown catch, a 10-yard reception that he caught on a deflection late in the first quarter. His second touchdown catch was a 13-yard touchdown early in the second quarter as Wheaton's lead improved to 14-0. Bonga added a pair of 51-yard touchdown catches in the second half of the game. 

Bonga has 36 receptions in five games this season, a mark that leads all CCIW receivers. His 557 receiving yards leads the league and is ranked 18th in Division III this year. He is also first in the conference and 18th in the nation in receiving yards per game (111.4 YPG). Bonga is the CCIW leader with an average of 7.2 yards per game, a mark that also ranks 18th in Division III.

In his Wheaton career, Bonga has caught 166 passes for 2,271 yards, averaging 13.68 yards per catch. Bonga has a career average of 81.11 receiving yards per game with 23 touchdown catches. His 2,271 career receiving yards is currently eighth all-time at Wheaton as he continues to move up the record books.    

Bonga and the 24th-ranked Thunder travel to Carthage College this Saturday in a 1:00 p.m. kickoff in Kenosha, Wisconsin.