Nov 18, 2015

Wheaton places 14 on the 2015 All-CCIW Team; Mike Swider and Adam Dansdill earn special recognition

Wheaton, Ill. – The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) announced its All-Conference football team on Tuesday, with 14 members of the Wheaton College football team earning selections. Wheaton players earned 11 First Team honors with three Thunder honorees on the Second Team. Seven of Wheaton's All-CCIW selections were on the defensive side of the ball (six first teamers) and seven honorees were offensive players (five first teamers). Additionally, head coach Mike Swider (PICTURED RIGHT) was named the Bob Reade Coach of the Year and Adam Dansdill (PICTURED LEFT) was honored as the Don Larson Defensive Player of the Year.

Swider earns the Bob Reade Coach of the Year award for the sixth time in his career, also winning the honor in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2014. The veteran head coach guided Wheaton to a 10-0 regular season this fall and a 7-0 CCIW record for the second consecutive season. Swider becomes only the second coach in CCIW history to win the award five times since it was established in 1978. This year's award moves Swider past Illinois Wesleyan head coach Norm Eash (5). Former Augustana head coach Bob Reade won the award eight times in his career. Swider is in his 20th season at Wheaton with a 169-44 record at the helm of the program.

Dansdill, a senior linebacker for the Thunder, earns the award for the second straight year. This year's recognition marks the 10th time a Wheaton student-athlete has won the award, including Dansdill's selection in 2014. He is the fifth player in league history to win the award twice, joining Jim Perryman of Millikin (1981-82); Chad Thorson from Wheaton (1988-89); Rusty VanWetzinga of Augustana (1994-95) and Illinois Wesleyan's John Munch (1996-97). Dansdill leads Wheaton with 97 total tackles this season, including 47 solo stops. He has recorded 12 tackles for loss (-38 yards) with five passes broken-up this season. Dansdill ranked second in the CCIW in total tackles this season with 67 stops in conference play. He also ranked eighth in the CCIW in tackles for lost yards with eight (-31 yards) in conference play.

Fellow linebackers Mikey Swider (PICTURED LEFT) and Caleb Ashby (PICTURED RIGHT) also earned All-CCIW recognition alongside Dansdill. Swider picked up his second consecutive First Team recognition and Ashby was a Second Team honoree. Swider is second on the Thunder defense this season with 65 total tackles, including 37 solo tackles. He has registered seven tackles for loss (-27 yards) with a 57 yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. In conference play he made 43 total tackles this year, with 28 solos. Swider added five tackles for loss (-25 yards).

Ashby has 59 total tackles this season, including seven tackles for loss (-26 yards) and 10 passes defended. In league play this fall he registered 44 total tackles, with 30 solo tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss (-25 yards). Ashby's mark of nine passes defended in CCIW play ranked third in the league this season.

Two Thunder players earned All-CCIW recognition on the defensive line as Logan McRae (PICTURED LEFT) and Josh Aldrin (PICTURED RIGHT) each earned First Team accolades. It is the second consecutive season that McRae is a First Team selection and Aldrin pairs this year's recognition with is Second Team honor in 2014. McRae leads the Thunder with 7.5 sacks (-48 yards) as part of a team-best 15.5 tackles for lost yardage (-63 yards). McRae has 44 total tackles this season. In conference play he accumulated 31 tackles. McRae made a league-best 12.5 tackles for lost yardage (-53 yards) this season, including 6.0 sacks (-39 yards) to rank second in the CCIW in the category. Aldrin has 33 total tackles this fall, including 2.0 tackles for loss (-4 yards). In CCIW play he registered 24 total tackles, including 2.0 tackles for lost yardage.

A pair of Wheaton defensive backs earned All-CCIW accolades as seniors Alex Mendez (PICTURED LEFT) and Wes Cannonier each picked up First Team recognition. Mendez, a Second Team honoree in 2014, has 35 total tackles this season with 23 solos. He has a team-high 12 passes defended with year with three interceptions. In league play Mendez had 25 tackles with three interceptions. Mendez's 11 passes defended in CCIW play was the most of any player in the conference.

Cannonier (PICTURED RIGHT) has 30 total tackles this season with nine passes defended, including a team-best five interceptions. He made 24 total tackles in conference play with 11 passes defended, including two interceptions.

Sophomore Sola Olateju (PICTURED LEFT) earned First Team All-CCIW honors for his breakout season at running back. Olateju has run for 803 yards this season, the highest single-season rushing total for a Wheaton player since 2008, with seven rushing touchdowns. He averages 7.44 yards per carry, a mark that ranks sixth in Division III. He also has 13 receptions for 147 yards this year. In conference play Olateju ran for 589 yards, averaging 7.6 yards per carry with five touchdowns.

Three Thunder offensive linemen earned All-CCIW recognition as Matt Snebold (PICTURED RIGHT) and Peter Gibson earned First Team recognition; and Kyler Kregel was a Second Team honoree. Snebold is a repeat First Team honoree. The trio led an offensive line that has been an integral part of Wheaton's success in 2015. The offensive line sparks a Wheaton offense that averages 481.4 yards per game with 241.6 yards per game on the ground and 239.8 passing yards per game. Wheaton is ranked 24th in Division III in total offense and 28th in rushing thanks in large part to the Thunder offensive line.

Brothers Andrew and Zach Lindquist each picked up First Team All-CCIW recognition. Andrew Lindquist earned First Team recognition at wide receiver and Zach was a First Team honoree at tight end. Andrew Lindquist (PICTURED LEFT) has 578 receiving yards this season, averaging 17.0 yards per catch with eight touchdown receptions. In conference play he has 22 catches for 434 yards, averaging 19.7 yards per catch with six touchdown grabs. Zach Lindquist has 28 receptions this season for 428 yards. He averages 15.2 yards per catch with eight touchdown receptions. The junior made 19 catches in CCIW play this year for 292 yards. He averaged 15.4 yards per catch against league foes with four touchdown catches.

Junior Andrew Bowers (PICTURED RIGHT) picked up a Second Team All-CCIW nod at quarterback. Bowers has completed 81 of his 133 passing attempts this season for a 60.9% completion percentage. He has thrown for 1,364 yards and 12 touchdown passes. He has run for 285 yards this year, averaging 4.6 yards per carry with 4.6 yards per carry. In CCIW contests he has 76 completions on 122 attempts for a 62.3% completion percentage. Bowers threw for 1,261 yards in CCIW action this year with 11 touchdowns. He had 264 rushing yards in conference contests and ran for three touchdowns.Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#92

Josh Aldrin

5' 8"

Senior

#52

Caleb Ashby

5' 9"

Junior

Andrew Bowers

5' 9"

Junior

#10

Wes Cannonier

6' 0"

Senior

#44

Adam Dansdill

6' 0"

Senior

#79

Peter Gibson

6' 0"

Junior

#63

Kyler Kregel

6' 2"

Sophomore

#19

Andrew Lindquist

6' 3"

Senior

#89

Zach Lindquist

6' 4"

Junior

#56

Logan McRae

6' 2"

Senior

Players Mentioned

#92

Josh Aldrin

5' 8"

Senior

#52

Caleb Ashby

5' 9"

Junior

Andrew Bowers

5' 9"

Junior

#10

Wes Cannonier

6' 0"

Senior

#44

Adam Dansdill

6' 0"

Senior

#79

Peter Gibson

6' 0"

Junior

#63

Kyler Kregel

6' 2"

Sophomore

#19

Andrew Lindquist

6' 3"

Senior

#89

Zach Lindquist

6' 4"

Junior

#56

Logan McRae

6' 2"

Senior