ESU Academic Awards History

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University redshirt senior wide receiver Robert Bleiler and redshirt junior defensive tackle Bryan Thomson have been selected to the Capital One Academic All-District football team for Super Region 1, it was announced Thursday.

Bleiler (Dillsburg/Northern York) and Thomson (Keyport, N.J./Keyport) are among 14 recipients from the PSAC and will advance to the national ballot for consideration on the Academic All-America team, which will be announced December 4.

Their selections give ESU 20 Academic All-District honors from 17 student-athletes in football since 1990.

Bleiler, a Mathematics and Secondary Education major with a 3.45 grade-point average, is among the top wide receivers in Division II this year. He ranks third in the PSAC in receptions per game (6.6), yards per game (114.9) and touchdowns (10), and is 13th in DII in receiving yards per game.

He had seven catches for 230 yards and two touchdowns, including a school record-tying 99-yard TD from redshirt sophomore quarterback Matt Soltes, in Saturday's 52-28 win over Lock Haven. He enters this week's game vs. Millersville with 59 catches for 1,034 yards this season, and ranks fifth in school history in career receiving yards (2,449), eighth in receptions (141) and tied for eighth in touchdowns (18).

He has five 100-yard games this season and eight in his career. On Saturday, he can become ESU's first receiver with five catches in eight straight games, and one of three receivers with six 100-yard games in a season.

Earlier this fall, Bleiler was selected as a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, which will be awarded in December by the National Football Foundation. He is one of two players from the PSAC, along with Edinboro quarterback Cody Harris, and one of 24 players in Division II on the national list.

Thomson, a Business Management major with a 3.31 GPA, was last year's PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year and a third team All-America selection by the Football Gazette.

He has 51 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and two blocked kicks this season as the Warriors have one of the most improved defenses in Division II. He was named PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week with career-highs of 13 tackles and 3.5 sacks in a 43-26 win at Kutztown two weeks ago, and is among the DII leaders in sacks by a defensive tackle.

Last year, Thomson had 50 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks and six blocked kicks, tying ESU's single-season record. He has 10 career blocked kicks, setting the career record. He is one of 10 underclassmen on the ESU defense.

Bleiler and Thomson are joined on the Academic All-District team by 12 other players from the PSAC – Gannon QB Liam Nadler, Mercyhurst TE John Matarazzo, California OL Jack Abercrombie, Clarion OL Mike Felker, Shippensburg OL Doug Randall, Gannon OL Randy Toth, Edinboro OL Jaycen Watts, Edinboro DL Bobby Kmetz, Shippensburg LB Brian Sourber, Seton Hill LB Tyler Zimmer, Mercyhurst DB Colin Kimball and Gannon punter Cody Crosby. The conference had 14 of the 24 selections in Super Region 1.

ESU is second in the PSAC with 66 Academic All-District selections from 2007-08 through 2012-13. The Warriors have four selections so far this year in Bleiler, Thomson and men's soccer players Nemanja Nikolic and Khriswayne Wallace, who were selected last week.

Bleiler and Thomson are the first recipients from football since outside linebacker Matt Freed in 2010, a three-time Academic All-District and two-time Academic All-America selection. Bleiler is the first wide receiver since Sam Shuman in 2007, and Thomson is the first defensive lineman since Greg Thoman in 2004.

During the 2012-13 academic year, the Warriors had 11 student-athletes named to Academic All-District teams, with eight advancing to earn Academic All-America honors.


About the Academic All-District and All-America Program

The Academic All-District teams recognize student-athletes for athletic and academic achievement and are nominated and voted on by members of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). Bleiler and Thomson will both be on the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.

This marks the third year that separate teams have been selected for Division II, Division III and College Division (NAIA/Canadian schools/two-year schools) institutions. The previous "College Division" included all DII, DIII, NAIA, Canadian and junior college programs.

Super Region 1 of Division II follows the NCAA's regional model and includes all schools from the PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference), Mountain East Conference, CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) and Northeast-10 Conference.