It didn't take Ian Wheeler long to discover his passion. 
"I've always been interested in behavior and mental disorders," Wheeler said. "After studying psychology in college, I realized that medicine was the field for me."
Wheeler has already been accepted into Howard's prestigious medical school. He's also awaiting to hear from other medical schools. Wheeler aspires to make the world a better place.
"I plan on pursuing psychiatry and eventually creating a community center to inform people and destigmatize mental health," said Wheeler. "I'm very excited to have an opportunity to further my education and take the next step towards my career."
A graduate student and running back for the Howard University football team, Wheeler has made an impact on and off the field. He's unique and is poised to do great things after his career concludes, which fortunately for him and his Bison teammates includes playing in the Cricket Celebration Bowl against fifth-ranked Florida A&M on Saturday, Dec. 16 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Howard won its second consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship, while former conference partner FAMU captured its first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on ABC.
It's a fitting finale for Wheeler, who started playing football at 7. At that age, only one thing mattered to the two-time Second Team All-MEAC selection.
"I wanted to be like the Saints players I would see on the TV every Sunday," said Wheeler, a Houston native. "I remember my team scoring a long touchdown, celebrating, getting it called back, then running the same play and scoring again. Representing Howard in the Celebration Bowl was a long time coming, and I'm excited to be a part of a team making history."
Wheeler has created sterling memories this season for Howard, especially against Robert Morris. Wheeler returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown in the first half and added a 59-yard scoring run in the second half of the 35-10 Howard victory on Sept. 30. Wheeler also ran for 78 yards on seven carries against Delaware State in a key 17-10 road triumph on Oct. 28.
Wheeler was one of the top two-way threats nationally, finishing with 378 rushing yards and 51 carries. He also returned 14 kickoffs for 370 yards. Ranked 12th nationally in kickoff returns at 26.4 yards per game, the electric Wheeler had at least a 20-yard kickoff return in seven consecutive games from Sept. 16 to Nov. 11. 
"I'm willing to do anything to help the team, and if that means running down and making a tackle, I'd do it in a heartbeat," said Wheeler, a psychology major. "My parents didn't play
collegiate sports. My brothers are Ethan and Nasir. I always call my mother and tell her I love her and pray in the locker room."
Wheeler's career has been exceptional for Howard. Among his highlights last season was returning a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown against North Carolina Central. He earned Second Team All-MEAC honors. In 2022, Wheeler was named to the Bluebloods All-Conference Second Team and Phil Steele FCS All-MEAC Second Team.
Wheeler, who is minoring in chemistry, loves baking and reading. The Houston, Texas native has enjoyed his time representing the Bison.
"Howard has been a place for me to grow and become more confident in myself and my abilities both in and out of the classroom," Wheeler said. "The best part of attending here has been bonding with classmates and teammates."
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional. A member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Athletics Hall of Fame, Knox currently serves as the Senior Director of Strategic Communications for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Recently, Knox was honored by College Sports Communicators (CSC) with the Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award and the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity award. Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA)
