(AUSTINTOWN, Ohio)--Capital University senior football players Steve Leppert (Cincinnati/Princeton), Sam Abdullah (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) and Eric Calland (Westerville/Westerville South) were named Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference.
Leppert was the starting the left guard for one of the nation's top offenses as the Crusaders have the fourth best passing offense and rank 10th in scoring in all of NCAA Division III. Leppert was a starter in 2004, sat out the entire 2005 season with an injury and has not played since the eighth game of the season where he suffered a season-ending injury. He was also a 2004 Academic All-OAC selection and is a two-time Academic All-District IV pick. Off the field, the senior Marketing and Management major maintains a 3.90 grade point average.
Abdullah earned his second straight Academic All-OAC selection has he started all 13 games at linebacker for the Crusaders and was third on the squad with 71 tackles on his way to All-OAC Second Team honors. Off the field, he maintains a 3.44 grade point average and is studying Criminology and Pre-Law.
Calland, an Academic All-OAC honorable mention selection, played in 12 games at defensive line with 27 tackles and a pair of quarterback sacks. He is an Integrated Social Studies major with a 3.50 grade point average.
The OAC's 10 faculty athletics representatives select the Academic All-OAC and honorable mention selections.