Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Football team is coming off a big season that saw them reach new highs, finishing tied for third in the conference for their highest finish in program history. On Thursday, the postseason award run came to an end as the Don Hansen Football Committee released its annual Don Hansen NCAA DII All-America Team. The Cardinals would be among the teams honored when junior Defensive Back Leonard Sherrod III earned Honorable Mention Honors.
Sherrod is coming off a career season for the Cardinals in 2025, that saw him set a career-high with 97 tackles, 47 solo and 50 assisted. He would add 2.5 tackles for loss, and continued that success into the passing game. He would lead the Cardinals with five interceptions, including a pick six, while finishing with six pass break-ups and 11 total passes defended. He would finish tied for the MEC lead with five interceptions while sitting tied for seventh in passes defended (11) and tied for 16th in pass break-ups (6). He coupled that by sitting fourth in the conference in tackles, fifth in solo tackles, and fifth in assisted tackles. Along with his on-field accolades, Sherrod would permanently cement his place in Cardinal history, setting two different records during the season.
His first record would come in week two of the season when the Cardinals hosted Walsh University. Sherrod would set the single-game tackle record, finishing with 18.0 total, four solo and 14 assisted. His next record would come against Glenville State on November 8th, when Sherrod picked off his fifth pass of the season. It would set the single-season interception record, breaking a record that has stood since the program's beginning in 2018. For his efforts, Sherrod would earn First Team All-MEC honors for the first time in his career, being one of three Cardinals to earn either First Team or Player of the Year honors this season. The Don Hansen NCAA DII All-American award is the first of Sherrod's career, making him the thrid Cardinal to win the award, joining former Cardinals Richard White III (2021) and Sy Alli IV (2022).
The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at the age of 75 on August 29th, 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, IL. Started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988. Sherrod was one of seven players from the MEC selected on this year's list, with four teams represented. Frostburg State led the way with three honorees, while West Liberty, Charleston, and Fairmont State joined Wheeling on the list. The complete list of MEC honorees is below:
Arden Miller LB - Charleston
Leonard Farrow RB - Fairmont St.
Owen Doyle RB - Frostburg St.
Wylan Haruch DB - Frostburg St.
Doug Pruim II OL - Frostburg St.
Hunter Patterson RB - West Liberty
Leonard Sherrod III DB - Wheeling
The Wheeling University Football team continues their off-season as they prepare for the 2026 season.
