Thursday, November 9, 2000

BLACKLEDGE NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM

BETHLEHEM, PA --- Sophomore defensive end Thomas Blackledge (Sellersville/ Pennridge HS), who has helped the Moravian College football team to a 6-3 record this season, has been named to the 2000 Verizon Academic All-District II College Division Football Team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

By making the All-District squad, Blackledge is now forwarded onto the national ballot to try for Verizon Academic All-American® accolades.

To be eligible for Verizon Academic All-America® accolades, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 grade-point average, be a sophomore, junior or senior and be a starter or significant reserve. The College Division is made up of all the NCAA Division II and III Schools in the nation as well as all NAIA schools.  Student-athletes from NCAA Division I schools are named to the University Division Teams.  District II is made up of schools from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Blackledge has started all nine games for the Greyhounds this season, one of 12 sophomores starting for Moravian, and made a total of 33 tackles.  He has 11 solo stops and has contributed five tackles for loss and two and a half sacks.  Blackledge has also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and broken up one pass attempt.  Moravian currently ranks fourth in the Middle Atlantic Conference in overall defense.

Moravian closes out the 2000 season with a home game against rival Muhlenberg College on Saturday, November 11th at 1:00 p.m.

Blackledge will now try and become the 18th Verizon Academic All-American® in Moravian history and the 13th in the last eight years.