CRAIG BESONG NAMED D3FOOTBALL.COM ALL-AMERICAN (12/21)

2009 D3football.com All-America Teams

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- D3football.com released its 2009 Division III All-America Team on Saturday and Washington & Jefferson College senior wide receiver Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) was selected as a third-team honoree. 

Besong, who also earned Second Team All-South Region laurels from the website, is the 10th Washington & Jefferson College football player honored by D3football.com since its first All-America Team was announced in 1999.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound wideout finished the season with 90 receptions for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns.  His 90 catches were the third-highest total in school history.  Besong ranked 12th in the nation in receptions per game (8.2 rpg) and 33rd in receiving yards per contest (96.7 ypg). 

Besong caught at least one pass in all 35 games he played for the Presidents.  He also ended his career with a streak of 24-straight games with three or more receptions. 

Besong concluded his career third on the career receiving list at W&J with 184 catches.  He finished seven receptions shy of tying David Ravida’s record of 191 from 2005-2008.  Besong totaled 2,369 receiving yards and 30 touchdowns.  Washington & Jefferson owned an 18-1 record when Besong caught a touchdown pass. 

A two-time First Team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference selection, Besong totaled 100 or more receiving yards in a game 10 times during his career.  He also notched seven or more catches 14 times.

Thomas More senior linebacker Brad Steinmetz (2nd Team) and freshman defensive back Zach Autenreib (3rd Team) were the only players honored from the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. 

Washington & Jefferson posted a 9-2 record and competed in the NCAA playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.  The Presidents also earned their 26th-straight winning season. 

With Besong as a member of the squad, W&J notched a 40-7 record and made a trip to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2008. 

-- PRESIDENTS --

2009 Washington & Jefferson College Presidents