OPPERMAN NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN...

CLEVELAND, OH - Case Western Reserve University junior offensive lineman Tony Opperman (Pickerington, OH) has been named a second team preseason All-American by D3football.com. 

The announcement was made on the popular small college website this week.  Opperman was named a D3football.com honorable mention All-American in 2009.

“It’s a great honor for Tony, who is one of our hardest working and intense players and also the rest of our offensive line,” Head Coach Greg Debeljak explained.  “The line operates as a unit, so recognition for one should be viewed as recognition for all.”

Opperman played in all 11 games as the Spartans finished 10-0 (10-1 overall) last season for the third consecutive year and made their third straight NCAA postseason appearance.  He was an integral part of an offense which finished fourth in NCAA Division III in scoring (42.8 ppg.) and seventh in total offense (468.8 yards).

Opperman was first team All-University Athletic Association (UAA) selection and an UAA All-Academic award winner as a sophomore and a second team All-UAA honoree as a freshman. Case Western Reserve won the past three UAA titles.

The Spartans, who are ranked 24th in the nation in the The Sporting News Preseason Poll, open the 2010 campaign September 4 at home against John Carroll University.  The last time the two cross-town rivals met was 1988 when the Blue Streaks defeated the Spartans 27-10 to win the President’s Cup.

“It has been a great rivalry and I glad it’s being renewed,” said Debeljak, who graduated from John Carroll in 1988 and stayed there to coach until he took the Case associate head coach position (also offensive coordinator) back in 2001.  “Our players and coaches are excited about the opportunity to play a program with such great history.”

Share