Ben Bonga named a 2024 AFCA Division III All-American

Wheaton, Ill. – Wheaton College senior Ben Bonga has been named to the Division III All-American Team by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). There have been 22 AFCA Division III All-American selections from Wheaton through the years, sixth among Division III programs. The Thunder football program has had at least one player selected to the AFCA Division III All-America Football Team for ten-consecutive seasons, currently the longest streak in Division III.

Bonga earns Second Team AFCA All-America honors at wide receiver this year. Last month he picked up his second-consecutive All-CCIW First Team award. He had a record-setting season as he tied Wheaton's single-season touchdown reception record this year with 19 touchdown catches. He caught 74 passes this season for 1,294 yards, averaging 117.6 receiving yards per game. Bonga is the CCIW leader in receiving yards, receiving yards per game, touchdown receptions, receptions per game, scoring (10.4 PPG), and touchdowns.

He was twice recognized as the CCIW's Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week this season, earning the award on September 30, and October 14, following CCIW wins against Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan, respectively. Bonga had seven games of 100 receiving yards or more this season, and had at least one touchdown catch in 10 games this season, including five multi-TD games. He set career highs with 10 catches and 174 yards in a road win at Carroll. In a homefield victory against Illinois Wesleyan, he had eight catches for 160 yards and was one touchdown shy of Wheaton's single-game touchdown reception record with four.

Bonga's 19 touchdown receptions ranks fourth in Division III, his 1,294 receiving yards is seventh, he is ninth in the country in receiving yards per game (117.6 YPG), and is 18th in D3 in scoring (10.4 PPG). Bonga became just the fourth Wheaton wide receiver to record 3,000 or more receiving yards in a career with his outstanding 2024 campaign, ending the season with 3,008 career receiving yards as he moved into fourth on the program's all-time receiving yards list.

Bonga's AFCA All-America award marks the tenth-consecutive year that a Wheaton player has been selected to the AFCA team, joining: Giovanni Weeks (2023); Trevor Gabriele (2022); Dallas McRae (2021 & 2019); Eric Stevenson (2018); Chase Greenlee (2017), Peter Gibson (2016), Adam Dansdill (2015) and Spencer Clark (2014). Wheaton's 22 selections to the AFCA Division III All-American Team since the awards began in 1996 is among the most in the history of the award.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams – University Division and College Division – were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. The AFCA began selecting an NAIA-only team in 2006. Also in 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, and the return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.

Bonga's selection marks the 22nd time that the AFCA has honored a Wheaton football player as an All-American as he joins: linebacker Larry Wagner (1977); quarterback Scott Hall (1978); quarterback Keith Bishop (1983); offensive lineman Doug Johnston (1995); receiver Mark Loeffler (1996); offensive lineman James Hoxworth (2003); receiver Brad Musso (2004); Andrew Day (2005); defensive lineman Andy Studebaker (2006); defensive back Pete Ittersagen (2007 & 2008); offensive lineman Nick Biggee (2010); offensive lineman Spencer Clark (2014); linebacker Adam Dansdill (2015); offensive lineman Peter Gibson (2016); defensive lineman Chase Greenlee (2017); linebacker Eric Stevenson (2018); defensive lineman Dallas McRae (2019 & 2021); offensive lineman Trevor Gabriele (2022); and running back Giovanni Weeks as Wheaton's previous selections.

The AFCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee is made up of head coaches representing each conference from each of the AFCA's seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen.

MOST AFCA DIVISION III ALL-AMERICAN SELECTIONS ALL-TIME

1.) Mount Union - 36

2.) Mary-Hardin Baylor - 27

3.) UW-Whitewater - 25

4.) Linfield - 24

5.) St. John's (Minn.) - 23

6.) WHEATON- 22

T7.) Wittenberg, UW-La Crosse, North Central and Washington & Jefferson - 21

T8.) Augustana and Springfield -19

T9.) Ithaca and Widener - 18

T10.) Central (Iowa), Montclair State and Wesley - 17

Originally published by Wheaton College Athletics: /news/2024/12/3/football-ben-bonga-named-a-2024-afca-division-iii-all-american.aspx