IOWA FALLS, IOWA -- Ellsworth CC sophomore Nigel Cheeks has been named an All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association.  Cheeks made the honor squad as a return specialist and is on the honorable mention list.  The Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native returned 37 kickoffs for a total of 886 yards, an average of 23.9 yards per return with a long of 56 yards.  A running back, Cheeks also carried the ball 32 times for 155 yards in the 2024 season, 4.8 yards a carry, and caught 17 passes for 205 yards, an average of 12.1 per reception, and he had a receiving touchdown.  Cheeks led the Panthers in all-purpose yards with 1,248.  He was also a member of the ICCAC's all-conference and all-region teams as a freshman and sophomore. 

Cheeks is the first ECC football All-American since Jonathan Forson and Andrew Behm were selected in 2020.

Ellsworth has had 115 All-American football players in the program's history, including 7 Panthers who made an All-American team twice.  The two-time selections include Mike Palmer (1967-68), Walter Grant (1976-77), James Bradley (1987-88), Tirrell Rennie (2008-09), Quinton Robinson, (2008-09), Dexter Holmes (2010-11) and Ryan Guthrie (2015-16).