Susquehanna Fullback, Brandywine Grad Matt Wichlinski Repeats as an NCAA Division III All-American
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — Susquehanna University senior fullback and career rushing and scoring leader Matt Wichlinski (Claymont, Del./Brandywine H.S.) is officially an NCAA Division III All-American for the second-consecutive year. Wichlinski is a second-team All-American on the team by Don Hansen's Football Gazette, and an honorable mention selection on the 21st Annual Hewlett-Packard Division III All-American. He is a repeat selection on both of those teams.
The Associated Press Little College All-American Team will be announced on Tuesday, December 22.
Wichlinski rushed for a school record 3,243 yards and scored a record 246 points and was the Middle Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and MAC Commonwealth League Most Valuable Player — also repeating as a first-team league All-Star. He was also selected as one of the best 38 NCAA Division III players by the American Football Coaches Association and will play in the 51st Aztec Bowl in Monterrey, Mexico, this Sunday, December 13. The week long all-expense paid trip by the AFCA is capped by a game with the Mexican National team in the 60,000-seat Estadio Universitario Stadium.
Nicknamed "The Claymont Cannonball," the 5-6, 200-pound Wichlinski finished second this season in the MAC in both rushing and scoring — rushing for 1,163 yards on 207 carries for an MAC-best 5.6 per-carry average while scoring 102 points on 17 touchdowns (11.3 points per game). Both totals were the second best single-season marks in Susquehanna history behind his own records from 1997 (1,322 rushing yards, 108 points). He was 17th in scoring and 18th in rushing in the final regular-season NCAA Division III rankings.
He was the first back to post back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons at Susquehanna and now owns school records for rushing yards (3,243), rushing attempts (582), scoring (246 points) — finishing second in all-purpose yardage (3,604), fourth in total offense (3,243) and fifth in per-carry average (5.6). He also finished second in the MAC modern era (since 1983) for career rushing touchdowns (37), and fourth in both rushing yardage, scoring and total TDs.
"I know this has been said before, but Matt was the greatest back we've ever had here — and that's saying something since we just finished our 100th season. If he's not an All-American, then I've never seen one," said ninth-year Crusader head football coach Steve Briggs. "My only disappointment is that he wasn't higher on the Hewlett-Packard Team. I'm sure part of that was because we had our first game this season canceled and only played nine, while others played 10."
A quad-captain, Wichlinski is a corporate communications major and the son of Sheila Wichlinski of West Chester, Pa. He helped Susquehanna win a share of its first Commonwealth League championship, scoring a 28-24 win at co-champion and nationally-ranked Widener in the season-finale to finish at 6-3 overall. It was the program's 13th-straight non-losing season and second-straight winning record.
| The James W. Garrett Sports Complex, Publications, and Sports Information |
| Hours: 8:15 - 4:30 M-F (Academic year) 8:00 - 4:00 (Summer) | |
| Phone: 717-372-4119 Fax: 717-372-4048 E-mail: supubrel@susqu.edu |