Issued: December 2, 2002

BESTUL EARNS FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN HONORS

EAU CLAIRE - Offensive lineman Mike Bestul (Sr.-Chippewa Falls/Chi-Hi) was named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America College Division Football First Team, it was announced today.

The announcement marks the first time in school history that a Blugold student-athlete has been named a two-time First Team Academic All-American. A First Team selection in 2001, Bestul is the fifth Blugold student-athlete to receive multi-Academic All-American recognition.

A kinesiology major carrying a 3.93 grade-point average, Bestul was a unanimous First Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference performer and the WIAC Co-Scholar Athlete Award winner playing for a team that finished second in conference play with an overall record of 8-2 in 2002. The Blugold offense ranked third in passing offense (207.2 yards/game) and fourth in scoring offense (26.7 points/game) and total offense (352.8 yards/game) among WIAC schools in 2002.