David Bleitner Earns All-American Honors 
Three organizations list the junior defensive end
  

David Bleitner was among the nation's leaders in sacks and tackles for loss in 2003.

College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and Don Hansen's Football Gazette tabbed Bleitner as a second team selection. There were six seniors and just two juniors, including Bleitner, listed on both organizations' first and second teams combined. He was also an honorable mention selection on D3football.com's All-American lists.

Bleitner set school records with 15.5 sacks and 26 tackles for loss in 2003. In terms of per-game averages, he ranked third in the nation in sacks and fifth in tackles for loss. After earning Honorable Mention All-Midwest Conference honors the last two years, he was not only named to the first team this season but was also chosen as the league's Defensive Player of the Year.

In addition to his exploits on the football field, Bleitner has also excelled in the classroom. He earned Academic All-MWC honors for the second time in 2003 and was also a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District selection.

The Foresters finished the 2003 season with a 7-3 overall record and a 6-3 mark and third-place finish in the MWC. Bleitner and the rest of the defense held opponents to just 15.2 points per contest. The unit also ranks third in school history in rushing defense (92.2 ypg) and fourth in overall defense (269.0 ypg). The squad's 103 tackles for loss is the third-highest mark in the program's history and its 34 sacks and 18 interceptions both rank fourth.