University of Richmond Athletics
Trusler, Wheeler Named FCS ADA Academic All-Stars
01/09/2024 | Football
Richmond, Va.— Redshirt senior linebacker Tristan Wheeler and senior punter Aaron Trusler have been named FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Stars. The duo is two of eight players from the Coastal Athletic Association to be named to the list, which ties for the most honorees from any conference.
A total of 52 individuals from a pool of 104 applicants were selected to the team. Each of the nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 in undergraduate or graduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. They must have reached their second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. They also must have participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position.
Both were named All-America last month for their efforts in helping Richmond make a trip to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2016. Both Trusler and Wheeler were instrumental in helping Richmond earn a share of the CAA title for the first time since 2015 and advanced to the FCS Playoffs Second Round for the second year in a row.
This season, Wheeler tallied 17 tackles against Morgan State, the second-most tackles in a single game in his career. With his fourth tackle of the contest against Delaware State, Wheeler reached the 400 career tackles mark, becoming just the seventh Spider ever to reach the milestone. During the Campbell game, Wheeler moved to second all-time on the Spiders career tackles list and during the Elon game, he eclipsed the 100 tackles mark for the fourth-straight full season of football (2019, 2021 fall, 2022, 2023).
Trusler averaged 41.5 yards per punt in 2023 and pinned 26 kicks inside the 20-yard line—a conference high. Trusler led the Spiders to first in the CAA in net punting with an average of 39.9 yards per kick. In the William & Mary game, he recorded a career-long 76-yard punt, tying for the sixth-longest in program history.
On top of their performance on the field, both excel in the classroom at one of the most academically rigorous institutions in the country.
This is the second FCS ADA honor for Wheeler, a Health Studies major, and first for Trusler, a Business Administration major.
A total of 52 individuals from a pool of 104 applicants were selected to the team. Each of the nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 in undergraduate or graduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. They must have reached their second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. They also must have participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position.
Both were named All-America last month for their efforts in helping Richmond make a trip to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2016. Both Trusler and Wheeler were instrumental in helping Richmond earn a share of the CAA title for the first time since 2015 and advanced to the FCS Playoffs Second Round for the second year in a row.
This season, Wheeler tallied 17 tackles against Morgan State, the second-most tackles in a single game in his career. With his fourth tackle of the contest against Delaware State, Wheeler reached the 400 career tackles mark, becoming just the seventh Spider ever to reach the milestone. During the Campbell game, Wheeler moved to second all-time on the Spiders career tackles list and during the Elon game, he eclipsed the 100 tackles mark for the fourth-straight full season of football (2019, 2021 fall, 2022, 2023).
Trusler averaged 41.5 yards per punt in 2023 and pinned 26 kicks inside the 20-yard line—a conference high. Trusler led the Spiders to first in the CAA in net punting with an average of 39.9 yards per kick. In the William & Mary game, he recorded a career-long 76-yard punt, tying for the sixth-longest in program history.
On top of their performance on the field, both excel in the classroom at one of the most academically rigorous institutions in the country.
This is the second FCS ADA honor for Wheeler, a Health Studies major, and first for Trusler, a Business Administration major.
Players Mentioned
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