11 Thunder players named to All-CCIW Football squad as Leman named "Co-Defensive Player of the Year" and Swider picked as "Coach of the Year"

Wheaton,

Ill. (11/14) - On Saturday afternoon Wheaton secured a piece of the

College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championship with its 37-30 win

at Augustana in two overtimes to give the team a three-way tie for the CCIW

Championship along with Millikin and Illinois Wesleyan. Today a number of

Thunder players received accolades for their 7-2 record on the season and

6-1 mark in conference play. Wheaton placed 11 players on the 2000 All-CCIW

Football team, while two Thunder representatives won special awards. (NOTE:

All-CCIW honors are based on statistics in CCIW games only).

Wheaton's

senior linebacker JD Leman (Champaign, Ill./Central) was named the

"Don Larson Co-Defensive Player of the Year", along with Illinois Wesleyan

defensive lineman Jeff Heinzl. In Wheaton's seven CCIW games this season Leman

(PICTURED LEFT) made 94 total tackles (66 solo), with nine tackles for lost

yards (-28 yards), three interceptions, 11 passes broken up and two fumble

recoveries. Leman's overall statistics on the season were 116 total tackles

(85 solo) with 13 tackles for loss (-57 yards). Leman tallied four quarterback

sacks (-33 yards) with three interceptions, 12 passes broken up, six quarterback

hurries and two fumble recoveries. Earlier in the year he was named the CCIW

"Defensive Player of the Week" for his stellar effort in Wheaton's 28-24 win

at Elmhurst on October 28. In that game Leman made 15 total tackles (12 solo)

with three tackles for loss (-4 yards), a fumble recovery and a game-saving

pass interception with 00:53 left in the game to end a Blue Jay rally.

Wheaton

head coach Mike Swider was tabbed as the CCIW's "Coach of the Year"

for his efforts in leading the young Thunder squad to a share of its first

league title since 1995. This year's CCIW Championship was only Wheaton's

second league title since 1959. Swider (PICTURED ROGHT) has served as the

Wheaton head coach since 1996 and has been on the coaching staff since 1985.

In his five seasons as the Wheaton mentor Swider has posted a 33-13 record.

He has tallied a.717 winning percentage, which is third all-time among Wheaton's

21 head football coaches.

addition to Leman, Wheaton placed two players on the All-CCIW Defensive First

Team. Sophomore defensive lineman Dane Lundgren (Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds

View) and senior middle linebacker Greg McMillin (Nampa, Idaho/Nampa

Senior) join Leman on the first team. Lundgren, a defensive tackle, tallied

48 total tackles (25 solo) in conference games with four quarterback sacks

(-45 yards) and 10 tackles for lost yardage (-61 yards) with six quarterback

hurries. Lundgren (PICTURED LEFT) missed Wheaton's first two games of the

season, but still managed to make 64 total tackles (35 solo) in eight games

overall. The preseason All-American recorded five quarterback sacks (-50 yards)

in all of the games this season with 12 for lost yardage (-67 yards). McMillin

missed Wheaton's final game of the season, but tallied 51 total tackles (36

solo) in his six league games, with three for loss (-19 yards) and two quarterback

sacks (-17 yards). In all nine games that he played McMillin was second on

the team in total tackles with 84 (54 solo).

Three

Thunder players were named to the First Team offense, as senior running back

Brian Pastermack (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island), senior wide

receiver Jeremy Amos (Austin, Texas/Westlake) and offensive lineman

Brian Brown (Wichita Falls, Texas/Rider) represented Wheaton on the

offensive side of the ball. Pastermack (PICTURED RIGHT) ran for 845 yards

in the seven CCIW games this season with seven touchdowns and an average of

120.7 yards per carry in those games. Pastermack earned "CCIW Offensive Player

of the Week" honors twice this season and was second in the conference in

rushing yards. In Wheaton's 10 games this season Pastermack ran for 1,082

yards, which is the second highest single-season total in school-history.

This is his second consecutive All-CCIW first team nod as he is third on Wheaton's

all-time rushing yards list with 2,494 yards in his career.

Amos was

second in the CCIW in receiving this season with 682 yards on 47 receptions

and nine touchdowns in the six CCIW games. In the Thunder's 10 games this

season he made 76 catches for 1,171 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 1,171 receiving

yards is Wheaton's third-best single-season receiving yardage total. Amos

is sixth on Wheaton's all-time receiving yards list with 2,171 career receiving

yards on 151 catches with 19 touchdowns. Amos was also named as the CCIW's

First Team kick return specialist. In the seven conference games this season

Amos led the league in kick returns with 14 returns for 275 yards for an average

of 19.7 yards per return, including a 59-yard return against Illinois Wesleyan

on October 21. In all 10 games this season Amos had a school-record 21 kick

returns for 488 yards, also a school single-season record. He averaged 176

all-purpose yards a game this season. Brian Brown, a transfer to Wheaton from

the U.S. Naval Academy two years ago, was named for his efforts on the Thunder

offensive line. Brown, an offensive tackle, anchored an offensive line that

helped Pastermack to the second-highest single season rushing total in school

history. The Wheaton offensive line helped pace the Thunder offense to 3,536

yards of total offense with 2,036 passing yards and 1,527 rushing yards.

Three Thunder

players were named to the defensive Second Team as junior Jamie Busch

(Batavia, Ill./Batavia), sophomore Jeff Darnauer (Goodland, Kan./Goodland)

and junior Bryan Ittersagen (Wheaton, Ill./North) represented Wheaton

on the second team. Busch, a defensive end for the Thunder, led the team in

sacks in its seven conference games with five for (-58 yards). Busch made

47 total tackles (34 solo) in the conference games with nine tackles for lost

yardage (-63 yards). Overall he made 52 total tackles (35 solo) in Wheaton's

10 games with 5 1/2 sacks (-60 yards) and 10 tackles for lost yardage (-65

yards). Darnauer amassed 49 total tackles (19 solo) in league games with 3

1/2 sacks (-41 yards), a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Overall he made

73 total tackles (28 solo) in 10 games with 10 tackles for lost yardage (-59

yards) and a team-high 5 1/2 sacks (-53 yards). Ittersagen was second on the

team with 10 passes defensed in conference games this season, while adding

34 total tackles (24 solo). Overall he made 58 total tackles (43 solo) with

11 passes defensed and a recovered fumble in all 10 games.

Two Wheaton

players were picked to the All-CCIW Second Team offensive squad. Junior offensive

lineman Jon Adams (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian) and senior wide

receiver Chris Boddy (San Antonio, Texas/Alamo Heights) were named

to the second team. Adams was named for his efforts in helping the Wheaton

offense rack up 3,536 yards of total offense with 2,036 passing yards and

1,527 rushing yards on the season. Boddy (PICTURED LEFT) was sixth in the

league in receiving this season with 21 catches for 259 yards and one touchdown

in seven conference games. Overall Boddy was second on the team in receptions

with 30 for 361 yards and two touchdowns with an average of 12 yards per catch.