Thunder defensive end Chase Greenlee named an AFCA Division III All-American
Wheaton, Ill. – Wheaton College senior Chase Greenlee has been named to the Division III All-American Team by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). There have been 16 AFCA Division III All-American selections from Wheaton through the years, including five AFCA All-Americans since 2010.
Greenlee, a defensive end for the Thunder, is a First Team selection by the AFCA. He led Wheaton with 21.5 tackles for lost yardage (-98 yards) this year, including 15.5 sacks (-86 yards). Greenlee's 15.5 sacks is the third-highest single-season total in school history and ranked second this year in Division III. He ranked fourth among Wheaton's defensive players this season with 44 total tackles (28 solo).
In CCIW games this year, Greenlee recorded a league-best 20-1/2 tackles for lost yardage (-95 yards). His 14-1/2 sacks (-83 yards) in CCIW play led the conference this season.
In three seasons with the Thunder, Greenlee recorded 137 total tackles, including 77 solo stops. He tallied 31.5 career sacks, a mark that is second in program history. His 31.5 career sacks is second, behind only Jeff Peltz's (1977-80) school record of 37 career sacks. HIs five sacks in this year's regular season finale at Carroll is tied for the seventh-highest single-game total in Division III history.
Wheaton's 16 selections to the AFCA Division III All-American Team since the awards began in 1972 is tied for eighth-most in the history of the program. Greenlee is Wheaton's first AFCA All-America selection at defensive end since Andy Studebaker earned First Team honors in 2006.
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, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.
The AFCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's eight 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 - 26
2.) Linfield - 23
3.) Wittenberg - 21
4.) Washington & Jefferson - 20
5.) Augustana - 19
T6.) UW-La Crosse and Mary Hardin-Baylor - 18
7.) UW-Whitewater - 17
T8.) WHEATON, Springfield, Wesley and Widener - 16
T9.) Central (Iowa) and Montclair State - 15
10.) St. Thomas (Minn.) - 14
Originally published by Wheaton College Athletics: /news/2017/12/12/greenlee-named-an-afca-division-iii-all-american.aspx