December 5, 2013
Fordham University senior defensive lineman Brett Biestek was named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I football first team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) it was announced today. He becomes Fordham’s first football Academic All-American® since Barry Cantrell in 1997.
Biestek, a senior Finance major with a 3.78 GPA, has started all 13 games on the Fordham defensive line this fall, recording 54 total tackles, 37 solo, including 14.5 tackles for a loss of 74 yards and four sacks for 36 yards. He also has five quarterback hurries, four pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Biestek is ranked second in the Patriot League in tackles for loss per game (1.12) and ninth in sacks per game (0.31).
Over his career, Biestek has 82 total tackles, 55 solo, including 20 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also has eleven pass breakups.
Biestek is the seventh football Ram to earn Academic All-America® honors, joining Cantrell (1997), Eric Schweiker (1990), Matthew Michaels (1987), Ralph Rios (1987), William Wattik (1972) and Randy Reis (1971). In all, 37 Fordham student-athletes have earned Academic All-America® accolades.
About the Capital One Academic All-America® Program
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
