Beloit College

To be called the best tight end he had ever been around by a legendary head coach is pretty big for a guy from a small high school in Northern Illinois.  But that’s the accolade Craig Cleland received at the close of an outstanding football career for the Buccaneers.  Cleland redefined the position from primarily a blocker to a big-play receiver during his career, finishing with 73 catches for 1,401 yards and a then-record 14 touchdowns.  His 19.2 yards per catch still stands as the all-time record while his 14 TDs still hold the third spot.  As a senior this fierce competitor was a team captain and MVP, First Team All-MWC and a Pizza Hut All-American selection.  Following graduation he got into the coaching ranks at his high school alma mater, North Boone, for a short time before doing television work in Guam as a producer, reporter and on-air anchor.  He joined Continental Airlines and continued his world travels as a senior buyer and senior material planner.  He earned his MBA at UW-Madison in Supply Chain Management in the Spring of 2012.