Tristan Wheeler

Tristan Wheeler during the Campbell game Oct. 28, 2023

Tristan Wheeler during pregame warmups of Richmond's 44-13 homecoming victory over Campbell Oct. 28, 2023

Tristan Wheeler and Aaron Banks make a tackle during Richmond's 24-17 upset win over #22 Rhode Island on Oct. 14, 2023

Photo by: Stephen Blue

Photo by: Tim Kern

Photo by: JP Sinuk

Photo by: Meg Lee

Photo by: Keith Lucas

Photo by: Scott Brown

Photo by: Halle Kennon/Richmond Athletics

Photo by: Spiders Athletics

Photo by: Halle Kennon/Richmond Athletics

Photo by: Spiders Athletics

Position:
Linebacker
Height:
6-2
Weight:
228
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
Bethlehem, Pa.
High School:
Freedom

Career

Believed to be the first player in NCAA history to be named an All-American in five consecutive seasons (2019, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, 2022, 2023)
Five-time All-CAA selection, including four-straight First Team All-CAA honors (2021 spring, 2021 fall, 2022, 2023)
Recipient of the 2022 Chuck Boone Leadership Award, the most prestigious honor given by the Coastal Athletic Association
Posted 487 tackles in 53 career games, averaging 9.18 tackles per game
Tallied 33 tackles for loss, seven sacks and four interceptions in his career
Recorded four-straight full seasons over 100 tackles (104 in 2019, 114 in 2021, 110 in 2022, 121 in 2023)
Finished career leading all active players in tackles (487) across all divisions of NCAA football (FBS, FCS, DII, DIII)
Started 50-straight games in his career
Second all-time in career tackles for Richmond

2023 (Fifth Year)

Recorded a single-season career-high 121 tackles, as well as 3.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss
Tallied 17 tackles in season opener against Morgan State (09/02/23), the second-most in a single game of his career
With his fourth tackle of the contest against Delaware State (09/16/23), Wheeler reached the 400 career tackles mark, becoming just the seventh Spider ever to reach the milestone
During the Campbell game (10/28/23), Wheeler moved to second all-time on the Spiders career tackles list
Lead the Richmond defense that stood at or near the top of FCS football in three key statistical categories including takeaways (26, T-4), defensive touchdowns (5, T-1) and interceptions (16, T-7)
Helped the Spiders score 83 of it's 366 points (25.9 percent) off turnovers this season
Team captain
Named Third Team All-America by FCS Football Central in 2023
Earned First Team All-CAA honors for fourth consecutive year
Named 2023 Phil Steele All-CAA
Named a 2023 Stats Perform Second Team All-American
Named 2023 Phil Steele Fourth Team All-American
Named 2023 AFCA First Team All-American
Listed on the 2023 Buck Buchanan award Preseason Watch List
Named a finalist for 2023 Buck Buchanan Award
Earned Division 1 FCS All-ECAC recognition
Named a William V. Campbell Trophy finalist
Earned Stats Perform and Phil Steele Preseason All-America
Named Phil Steele Preseason All-CAA
Named a 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee
Named a Preseason All-American by the Bluebloods
Named the No. 5 top returning linebacker in the FCS in 2023 by HERO Sports
Named an Athlon Sports Preseason All-American in 2023
Tabbed a finalist for Male Athlete of the Year at RVA Sports Awards
Named a 2023 ADA FCS Academic All-Star
Named CAA Defensive Player of the Week (10/10/23)

2022 (Redshirt Senior)

Recipient of the CAA's Chuck Boone Award, given yearly to to a junior or senior CAA Football student-athlete who embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity, teamwork and sportsmanship in his academic and athletic achievements
Named preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association
Named First Team All-CAA
Named Phil Steele All-American
Named Stats Perform All-American
Named preseason All-America by Stats Perform.
Team captain
Started in all 13 games
Richmond's leading tackler with 110 (54 solo, 56 asst.) including 11 for loss (-29).
Opened the season with a career high 19 tackles against Virginia (Sept. 3).
Recorded two sacks (-9), two interceptions, three pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries on the year
110 tackles were the second-most in the CAA this season as he eclipsed the 100 tackles mark for the third-straight full season
Currently ranks sixth among active leaders in career tackles per game with 9.15 and has started 37-straight games—the most of any Spider.

2021 Fall (Redshirt Junior)

Named First Team All-Colonial Athletic Association - his third career All-Conference honor and second-straight First Team honor.
Named Third Team All-America by HERO Sports.
Named First Team Sophomore All-America by HERO.
Named Second Team All-America by Stats Perform FCS.
Led the team and the CAA in total tackles in the regular season with 114.
Posted his second-straight full season over 100 tackles.
Ranked eighth in the nation in the regular season in total tackles (114) and tackles per game (10.4).
Posted three quarterback hits and one pass breakup.
Recorded first two interceptions of his career in back-to-back games (Towson & Delaware).
Notched 6.0 tackles for loss and one sack.
Named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List.
Named Preseason All-America by Stats Perform.
Named Preseason All-America by HERO Sports.
Named Preseason All-CAA Football.

2021 Spring (Redshirt Sophomore)

Named First Team All-Colonial Athletic Association.
Named First Team All-State by VaSID.
Named one of 18 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented by Stats FCS to the top defender in the country.
Named Second Team All-America by Stats FCS.
Started all four games in the spring.
Led the team with 38 tackles.
Led the CAA with 9.5 tackles per game, ranking 22nd in NCAA FCS.
Posted 2.5 tackles for loss.
Made seven tackles against William & Mary (March 6), including a fourth down stop in the first quarter.
Posted a team-high six tackles at Elon (March 13).
Tallied a career-high 14 tackles in the second meeting against Elon (March 27).
Recorded two tackles for loss against the Phoenix.
Tallied 11 tackles against James Madison (April 17).

2019 (Freshman)

Named one of 20 finalists for Jerry Rice Award given to the best freshman in NCAA FCS.
Named the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Named First Team Freshman All-American by Phil Steele.
Named Third Team All-CAA.
Played in all 12 games, including nine starts as a true freshman.
Tied for the team lead with 104 tackles.
Ranked sixth in the CAA in tackles per game at 8.7.
Led the NCAA FCS in tackles by a freshman with 104, becoming the first FCS freshman to reach the 100-tackle mark since 2017 (Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State).
Became the first true freshman in Colonial Athletic Association history to reach the 100-tackle mark in a single season and the first freshman of any kind since Gage Steele (redshirt freshman) of James Madison in 2013.
Joined junior Tyler Dressler as the first pair of Spiders to both eclipse the 100-tackle mark in a single season since 2007 when Eric McBride (126) and Collin McConaghy (121) accomplished the task.
Started the last nine games of the year at linebacker.
Recorded six games with double digit tackles, including a career-high 13 tackles at Fordham (Sept. 28).
Opened his career with 12 tackles off the bench against Jacksonville (Aug. 29), the most in a season opener for a Spider since 2012.
Posted three games with 11 tackles each against UAlbany (Oct. 5), Delaware (Oct. 26) and William & Mary (Nov. 23).
Added 10 tackles against Villanova (Nov. 9).
Recorded a sack in the win against UAlbany (Oct. 5).
Forced two fumbles on the year – one at Delaware (Oct. 26) and one against William & Mary (Nov. 23).

High School

Pennsylvania Football Writers 6A All-State selection
First Team All-Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC)
Led Freedom High School to a 12-2 record, the most wins in program history as a senior
Guided the team to its first-ever District Championship and the first time appearing in the PIAA State Class 6A quarterfinals
Named the Calling All Sports EPC Defensive Player of the Year
Rated No. 8 linebacker in all of FCS recruiting by HERO Sports and No. 8 overall recruit in the Colonial Athletic Association
Recorded 125 tackles as a senior, including 8.0 sacks and 20.0 tackles for loss
Forced three fumbles and notched one interception
Played on offense as a running back, scoring six touchdowns on eight carries in short yardage situations
Named the Mini Max Award Winner by the Maxwell Club as a senior
Earned the Morning Call Player of the Week for District 11 in the Class 6A Championship win over Emmaus, with 11 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one rushing touchdown.