Larry Fitzgerald Named First-Team All-American by FWAA
11/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Larry Fitzgerald Named First-Team All-American by FWAA
11/26/2003
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PITTSBURGH
The FWAA All-America team is the second-oldest continuously published team in college football. The team will be honored on Dec. 12 in Orlando, Fla., by the Florida Citrus Sports during a banquet at the Citrus Bowl.
Fitzgerald (Minneapolis, Minn./Academy of the Holy Angels), who leads the country in receiving yards per game (142.6), touchdown catches (21), total touchdowns (21) and total receiving yards (1,569), has broke two NCAA records this year. He has caught a touchdown in a record 17 consecutive games, dating back to last season. Fitzgerald also broke the NCAA mark for touchdown catches as a freshman and sophomore (33).
Additionally, Fitzgerald has set six Big East receiving records this year, including single-season receiving yards, single-season receptions (84), single-season touchdown catches, career touchdown catches (33), career 1,000-yard receiving seasons (two) and career 100-yard receiving performances (14).
Just a sophomore, Fitzgerald ranks fourth on Pittsburgh?s all-time list for receiving yards (2,574) and fourth in all-time receptions (153). His 126 points this season are the second-highest point total in school history behind Tony Dorsett?s 140 in 1976, the same year he won the Heisman Trophy.
Fitzgerald is Pittsburgh?s first All-American since receiver Antonio Bryant, now of the Dallas Cowboys, earned the distinction during the 2000 season, the same year he won the Biletnikoff Award.
Pittsburgh is 8-3 overall and tied for first place in the Big East Conference with a 5-1 league mark. Ranked as high as No. 20 this week, the Panthers will face the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (9-2, 5-1) at Heinz Field Saturday, Nov. 29, in a game that has Big East title and Bowl Championship Series implications. The game will be an ABC regional telecast and kick off at 8 p.m.