GROVE CITY, Pa. -- Five Grove City College football players earned D3football.com All-Region 2 recognition Wednesday afternoon after the quintet helped lead the Wolverines to their third straight NCAA Division III Championship Tournament appearance.

Senior linebacker Caleb Brubaker (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) earned First Team All-Region honors while Second Team distinction went to sophomore cornerback Noah Wheeler (McKinney, Texas/McKinney Christian) and sophomore guard Gabe Hilty (Gibsonia, Pa./Kiski Prep).

Senior linebacker Ben Bladel (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon) and senior long snapper Derrick Lambert (Denver, Pa./Garden Spot) both captured Third Team All-Region 2 honors.

Brubaker led Grove City (8-3) with 95 total tackles, 7.5 quarterback sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Brubaker highlighted the regular season November 8 by recording 15 tackles, two sacks, an interception and three tackles for loss in a 28-14 victory at Case Western Reserve. 

He also led Grove City with 74 tackles last year and shared the team lead in 2024 with five interceptions. He is a two-year starter for the Wolverines. 

Wheeler started 10 games this season and finished with four interceptions. He opened the season with two thefts, including one returned for a touchdown, in a season-opening 31-14 victory at Cortland. He also added interceptions in key late-season wins over conference rivals Westminster and Case Western Reserve. 

A two-year starter for Grove City, Wheeler returned a blocked field goal 80 yards for a touchdown in the Wolverines' Homecoming win over Waynesburg University. He recorded 26 tackles from his defensive backfield post.

One of four new full-time starters on the Wolverine offensive line this season, Hilty helped solidify the remodeled unit by starting all 11 games at right guard. He helped clear the way for Grove City running backs Ian Demeri (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) and Chase Rankin (Coventry Township, Ohio/Coventry), who both earned All-Presidents' Athletic Conference recognition. 

Injuries limited Bladel to six full games this season but he still recorded 5.5 quarterback sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. He concluded his career as Grove City's all-time leader with 39.5 sacks and 70.5 tackles for loss. Bladel's efforts helped Grove City lead the conference in rushing defense during the regular season as the Wolverines held opponents to 66.6 yards per game. 

Earlier Wednesday, Bladel received American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) First Team All-America honors for the second straight season. D3football.com recognized him as an All-American in 2023 and 2024. 

Lambert handled all of Grove City's snapping duties for punts and place kicks for the second straight season this fall. His efforts in leading the punt coverage unit resulted in only 24 return yards against on 52 punts this year, including 32 fair catches. 

Bladel, Brubaker, Hilty and Wheeler all earned First Team All-Conference following the season. The league did not recognize any non-kickers nor non-returners on its All-Conference teams.

Region 2 includes the Presidents' Athletic Conference, Centennial Conference, Empire 8 Conference, Landmark Conference, Liberty League and New Jersey Athletic Conference.