Wheaton places 12 on the 2016 All-CCIW Team; Caleb Ashby named the CCIW’s Defensive Player of the Year

Wheaton, Ill. –The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) announced its All-Conference football team on Tuesday, with 12 members of the Wheaton College football team earning selections. Wheaton players earned six First Team honors with six Thunder honorees on the Second Team. Six of Wheaton's All-CCIW selections were on the defensive side of the ball (three first teamers) and six honorees were offensive players (three first teamers). Additionally, senior linebacker Caleb Ashby was honored as the Don Larson Defensive Player of the Year.

Ashby, a senior linebacker for the Thunder is the 11th Wheaton student-athlete to win the Don Larson Defensive Player of the Year Award. Ashby, a First Team All-CCIW selection this year, is a two-time All-Conference performer following Second Team recognition in 2015. Ashby has 62 total tackles this fall, including 35 solo stops. The senior has 13 tackles for lost yardage (-60 yards), including eight quarterback sacks (-49 yards). Ashby tallied 53 total tackles (30 solo) in conference play, including a team-best 12 tackles for lost yardage (-59 yards) with eight sacks (-49 yards). Ashby ranked second in the CCIW this season in both sacks and tackles for loss, in conference play.

Junior Chase Greenlee (PICTURED LEFT) joined Ashby as a First Team defensive selection. Greenlee, a defensive end, leads Wheaton with 17 tackles for lost yardage (-82 yards) this year, including 12 sacks (-63 yards). Greenlee's 12 sacks is the most by a Thunder defensive player since 2006. Greenlee is fourth among Wheaton defensive players with 53 total tackles (30 solo). In CCIW games this year, Greenlee recorded 42 total tackles, including 11-1/2 tackles for lost yardage (-60 yards). His 8-1/2 sacks in CCIW play led the conference this season.

Junior defensive back Tyler Sigler (PICTURED RIGHT) was Wheaton's third defensive player to earn First Team honors. Sigler has 31 total tackles this year, including 22 solo stops. The versatile defensive back has two interceptions to his credit and eight passes broken up. In conference play this season Sigler has made 26 total tackles (19 solo), with two interceptions and eight passes broken up.

Senior tight end Zach Lindquist (PICTURED LEFT) was named a First Team All-CCIW performer for the second consecutive year. Lindquist is second among Thunder receivers with 33 receptions, racking up 325 receiving yards with five touchdown catches. Lindquist led the Thunder in receptions during conference play with 30 catches against league opponents.

Junior running back Sola Olateju (PICTURED RIGHT) picked up First Team All-CCIW recognition for the second straight year. Olateju has 738 rushing yards this season, averaging 6.1 yards per carry with six touchdown runs. Olateju ran for 634 yards in CCIW action, averaging 5.8 yards per carry with five touchdown runs to his credit.

Two members of the Thunder offensive line earned All-CCIW recognition for their performance this season. Peter Gibson (PICTURED LEFT), a guard, picked up First Team recognition for the second straight year. Kyler Kregel (PICTURED RIGHT), Wheaton's center, is a Second Team honoree for the second time in his career. The duo leads a Wheaton offensive line that helps the Thunder offense to 434.9 yards per game, with 263.4 passing yards per game and 171.5 rushing yards per game.

Quarterback Andrew Bowers earned his second consecutive All-CCIW recognition. Bowers is 153-for-240 passing this season, with 2,119 passing yards and 22 touchdown tosses. The senior has run for 266 yards with two touchdown runs. He recorded 1,858 passing yards this season in conference play on 134-of-211 passing with 19 touchdown passes.

Junior wide receiver Trey Hanley (PICTURED LEFT) picked up Second Team All-CCIW recognition. Hanley has a team-high 32 receptions for 573 yards this season. He has averaged 17.9 yards per catch with six touchdowns to his credit. Hanley had 29 receptions in conference play as he caught 29 passes for 548 yards. He averaged 18.9 yards per catch against league foes with six touchdown receptions.

Cornerback Marcus Smith (PICTURED RIGHT) earned a Second Team All-CCIW nod. Smith, a junior, has 32 solo tackles and 15 solo stops for the Thunder this season, registering 47 total tackles. He has a team-high 10 passes broken-up, with two interceptions. Smith made 37 tackles (24 solo) in CCIW play this fall, with seven passes broken up.

Senior linebacker Luke Sahly (PICTURED LEFT) picked up Second Team recognition. Sahly is third among Thunder defensive players with 56 total tackles (34 solo). He has 10 tackles for loss (-43 yards) this season, including 6-1/2 sacks (-37 yards). Sahly registered 43 total tackles in conference play, including 27 solo stops. Sahly made seven tackles for loss in league contests, including 3-1/2 sacks (-21 yards).

Defensive tackle Patrick O'Connell (PICTURED RIGHT) earned Second Team All-CCIW honors. O'Connell has 28 total tackles this fall, including 11-1/2 tackles for loss (-56 yards) and seven sacks (-43 yards). In CCIW contests he registered 22 total tackles. Sahly recorded seven tackles for loss (-27 yards) against league foes, including 3-1/2 quarterback sacks (-21 yards).

Originally published by Wheaton College Athletics: /news/2016/11/15/football-wheaton-places-12-on-the-2016-all-cciw-team-caleb-ashby-named-the-cciws-defensive-player-of-the-year.aspx