Wheaton College Athletics

Jeff Peltz, a 1981 Wheaton graduate, has coached the Wheaton defensive line for the past 42 years. He has coached 15 All-Americans and over 59 All-Conference players in his tenure, including the 2019 D3football.com National Defensive Player of the Year.

Peltz captained the 1980 football team and earned All-CCIW Second Team honors in 1979 and 1980. He is currently Wheaton's career QB sack leader with 37 and set the former single-season QB sack record of 14 in 1978, a record which stood until 1995. In 2003, Jeff was inducted into Wheaton’s “Hall of Honor” as a player.

Jeff has a heart for ministry and also serves as the Spiritual Coordinator for the football program. He is in charge of organizing player small groups and team chapels and also organizes the Wheaton Football Missions trips that take place over spring break for the last 24 years.

Jeff and his wife, Nancy, a Wheaton graduate in 1981 who is a former four-time Olympic speedskater, having set two World Records, have three children. Their daughter Nancy Jr. was an Olympian in Speedskating, participating at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, 9^th place; married to former Wheaton Football player, Dan Puknaitis. Their oldest son, Jeffrey Jr., played 1 year of WC football, deciding to pursue and train making the 2018 Olympic team in Speedskating. His youngest son, Johnny, was a member of the Thunder football team, D3.com POW, and 2014 male performer of year and Thunder baseball team, getting honors in 4/2014 as CCIW offensive POW. Jeffrey Sr. and Johnny (2016) are the only father and son duo to each be named captains of the Wheaton football team. The Peltz family (PICTURED BELOW) lives in Wheaton.