Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Griffin Quinn / Northwestern Athletics
Robert Fitzgerald Named CSC First Team Academic All-American
1/27/2026 11:19:00 AM | Football
GREENWOOD, Ind. — Northwestern redshirt junior safety Robert Fitzgerald earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) First Team Academic All-American honors, the organization announced Tuesday.
Fitzgerald (Learning and Organizational Change) is the first Wildcat football student athlete to receive Academic All-America honors since Josh Priebe was named to the first team in 2023. He is the program's fourth player to earn first team recognition since 2012, joining Priebe, Tyler Gillikin (2020) and Patrick Ward (2012).
This marks the 40th Academic All-America selection in program history, dating back to 1956.
A Second Team All-Big Ten coaches selection in 2025, Fitzgerald recorded 115 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, an interception and a fumble recovery in a breakout redshirt junior campaign.
Fitzgerald is the first Wildcat defensive back to post at least 115 tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss in a single season since at least 2005 and the first Big Ten defensive back to do so since 2010. He helped guide Northwestern to a 34-7 GameAbove Sports Bowl Victory over Central Michigan this past December.
The 2025 Academic All-America Division I Football First Team features 25 members. Fitzgerald is one of four Big Ten student athletes to earn a spot on the first team.
Fitzgerald (Learning and Organizational Change) is the first Wildcat football student athlete to receive Academic All-America honors since Josh Priebe was named to the first team in 2023. He is the program's fourth player to earn first team recognition since 2012, joining Priebe, Tyler Gillikin (2020) and Patrick Ward (2012).
This marks the 40th Academic All-America selection in program history, dating back to 1956.
A Second Team All-Big Ten coaches selection in 2025, Fitzgerald recorded 115 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, an interception and a fumble recovery in a breakout redshirt junior campaign.
Fitzgerald is the first Wildcat defensive back to post at least 115 tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss in a single season since at least 2005 and the first Big Ten defensive back to do so since 2010. He helped guide Northwestern to a 34-7 GameAbove Sports Bowl Victory over Central Michigan this past December.
The 2025 Academic All-America Division I Football First Team features 25 members. Fitzgerald is one of four Big Ten student athletes to earn a spot on the first team.
Players Mentioned
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