NAPERVILLE, Ill. - The CCIW had seven players named to the D3football.com Preseason All-America Teams on Wednesday, with four coming from Wheaton College and three others from North Central College.

Leading the way for preseason No. 1 North Central in 2026 are First Team Preseason All-Americans Garrett Wilson and Cortez Jones on offense and Third Team Preseason All-American Matt Janiak on defense. All three were named All-CCIW First Teamers in 2025, with Jones adding the title of CCIW Offensive Line Student-Athlete of the Year to cap his junior campaign. Wilson threw for over 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns in his sophomore season en route to being named Region 5 Offensive Player of the Year by D3football.com, while Janiak was the leading tackler for the Cardinals in his sophomore season with 119 stops.

For Wheaton, ranked fifth in the D3football.com preseason poll, a trio of Second Team Preseason All-Americans along with a Third Team Preseason All-American will aim to challenge North Central. Guard Aiden Byrne, linebacker Zeke Harris, and safety Colin Moore were each named All-CCIW First Teamers at their respective positions a year ago and occupy the three Second Team spots for the Thunder, while punter Josiah Smith was an All-CCIW Second Team Specialist in 2025 and enters 2026 as a Third Team Preseason All-American. Harris was the leading tackler for Wheaton in his sophomore season, recording 119 tackles, while Moore led the CCIW with eight interceptions as a junior. Smith was the CCIW leader in yards per punt in 2025 as a junior, finishing with an average of 45.4 yards per punt and pinning opponents back with 12 punts inside the 20-yard line.

D3football.com Preseason All-Americans
First Team Offense
QB, Garrett Wilson, North Central
T, Cortez Jones, North Central

Second Team
G, Aiden Byrne, Wheaton
LB, Zeke Harris, Wheaton
S, Colin Moore, Wheaton

Third Team
LB, Matt Janiak, North Central
P, Josiah Smith, Wheaton