The Wesley College football team was ranked eighth nationally in the Lindy’s Sports annual Division III preseason poll that was released to newsstands this week.

Also for the Wolverines, senior offensive tackle Matt Gono was tabbed as a preseason All-America by Lindy’s.

A two-time D3football.com All-Region first-team and All-New Jersey Athletic Conference first-team honoree, Gono paved the way for a Wesley offense that gained 5,338 yards of total yards in 2016, which was the most in the NJAC. Gono along with fellow seniors Samer Manna, Blake Roberts and Isaiah Ingram, were named captains following spring practices.

Wesley made its 12th consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament after collecting a share of the NJAC regular-season championship for the second-straight season and the conference’s automatic bid to the playoffs.

Jimmy Twisselmann with Sons of Pitches connects for a hit against the Bucks during Dover Mens softball at Schutte Park on Tuesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

American Legion baseball

Post 3-Milford 2, Nanticoke-Post 6 Patriots 0: Milford opened the Delaware American Legion baseball season with a shutout victory on Tuesday night.

Blue Hen Construction's third baseman Brian Palmer fields a grounder against Delaware Co Op during Dover Mens softball at Schutte Park on Tuesday.

There are five South squads in the 11-team league this summer with newcomer Smyrna joining previous members Fox Post 2, Middletown Post 25, Milford and Nanticoke.

Dover’s Fox Post 2 is slated to open up at Milford on Thursday at 6 p.m.

College basketball

UD coach fills out staff: New University of Delaware women’s basketball coach Natasha Adair has completed her coaching staff with the hiring of two assistants.

Adair, who was hired on May 15 as the fourth head coach in program history, welcomes Sarah Jenkins and Mykala Walker as assistant coaches while former Blue Hen player Kayla Miller will remain on staff for her third season as the director of operations. David White will fill the role of assistant director of basketball operations and program management.

Delaware Co Op's Nathan Schreppler rounds third base for home against Blue Hen Construction during Dover Mens softball at Schutte Park on Tuesday.

Jenkins played four seasons at Georgetown, where she was a Big East Academic All-Star, served as a two-year captain and finished her career among all-time leaders with 54 career three-pointers.

Walker, who will work with Delaware’s post players, played at Wake Forest.

Softball

Delmar’s Wheatley wins Gatorade award: Delmar High’s Avery Wheatley has been named the Gatorade Delaware Softball Player of the Year.

The 5-foot-9 senior shortstop led the Wildcats to a 20-5 record and a berth in the state championship game. Wheatley owned a .662 batting average with 19 RBI, 40 runs scored and 23 stolen bases through 21 games.

A first-team All-State selection, she is also a two-time All-Henlopen Conference honoree.

Wheatley has raised funds to benefit cancer awareness and has volunteered locally on behalf of the Good Ole Boy Foundation holiday drive and a special-needs softball team.

Bucks pitcher Trent Yoder against the Sons of Pitches during Dover Mens softball at Schutte Park on Tuesday.

“When you watch or coach against her team, you notice Avery Wheatley’s presence on the field immediately,” said Cape Henlopen coach Shannon Timmons. “She’s a triple threat: she fields well, possesses an arm to throw out anyone who challenges her, and at the plate, she can hit away or slap, and she has great speed on the base paths.”

Wheatley has maintained a 3.14 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at Appalachian State University this fall.

Special Olympics

Delaware games this weekend: The 47th annual Special Olympics Delaware Summer Games will be held at the University of Delaware on Friday and Saturday.

Nearly 800 athletes and Unified partners (peers without disabilities) are scheduled to compete in six sports — aquatics, bocce, power lifting, tennis, softball, and track and field — during the two-day event.

A gala opening ceremony takes place Friday at 12:30 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center. All events are free and open to the public. For more information visit www.sode.org.