Today’s Scholar-Athletes ~ Tomorrow’s Leaders
2016 All-Patriot League Football Teams and Major Awards Announced
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The 2016 All-Patriot League Football First and Second Teams and major award winners were announced on Tuesday afternoon with Lehigh and Colgate sweeping the four major awards.
Lehigh senior quarterback Nick Shafnisky was selected as the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year after guiding the Mountain Hawks to the program’s seventh postseason berth with the sixth-ranked scoring offense in the FCS (40.5 points/game). Colgate junior linebacker Pat Afriyie earns Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors after finishing among the nation’s leaders with 21.0 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks. Colgate freshman defensive back and return specialist Abu Daramy was selected as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, while Lehigh Head Coach Andy Coen, a 2016 Eddie Robinson Award finalist, earns Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second time during his 11 seasons at the helm of the Lehigh program.
The Patriot League champion Mountain Hawks led all schools with nine selections to the first team, while garnering 13 All-League selections overall. Colgate had 14 All-League selections, including six on the first team, while Fordham had 11 selections, with four coming on the first team. Bucknell had eight All-League selections, while Georgetown had seven, Holy Cross placed five and Lafayette finished with three. Overall 29 seniors, 24 juniors, nine sophomores and one freshman were selected to the All-Patriot League squad.
The All-Patriot League Team and major awards were voted on by the Patriot League Football head coaches, who could not vote for their own student-athletes or themselves.
Shafnisky had Lehigh’s offense among the FCS elite in 2016 leading a nine-game winning streak to help reach the Division I FCS Championship Playoffs for the first time since 2011. Shafnisky completed 181-of-275 passes for 2,448 yards and 20 touchdown passes with just five interceptions and no fumbles. He also rushed for an additional 302 yards and 10 touchdowns. He led the Patriot League and was sixth in the nation in pass efficiency (161.3) and eighth in completion percentage (.662), while also finishing eighth in the nation in points responsible for with 182.
Afriyie led the FCS’s third-ranked rush defense (69.4 rush yards allowed/game) while averaging 2.1 tackles for loss per game, the fifth-best average in the nation, while leading the Patriot League with 21 tackles for loss. The two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week is tied for fourth in the FCS with 1.0 sack per game and is seventh among active FCS career leaders with 0.67 sacks per game. Afriyie finished the season with 51 total tackles, two pass breakups, five quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.
Daramy made an instant impact during his freshman season at Colgate, finishing second in the Patriot League, averaging 7.3 yards per punt return and fourth averaging 21.4 yards per kickoff return. He was also a key part of the Raiders secondary finishing with 22 total tackles and four pass breakups.
Coen led Lehigh to the program’s seventh postseason appearance and fourth under his guidance to earn his second Patriot League Coach of the Year honor. His Mountain Hawks won their last nine games of the season, sweeping through League play and clinching the League Championship and automatic berth to the playoffs with a 20-13 victory over Bucknell on November 5. Coen last won the award in 2010 and is a finalist for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award for FC Coach of the Year.
The 2016 First Team All-League has six repeat members from last season, including a nearly identical backfield, with Fordham junior running back Chase Edmonds leading the way, after finishing first in the nation with 1,799 rushing yards and second with 19 rushing touchdowns. Edmonds broke the Patriot League career record for rushing touchdowns, sitting at 62 after his junior season, while becoming just the second back in League history to eclipse the 5,000 rushing yard mark. He is joined by Lehigh sophomore Dominic Bragalone, a two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week, who finished the season with 1,106 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. Colgate’s senior fullback John Wilkins earns his first All-Patriot League selection, joining Edmonds and Bragalone in the backfield.
Lehigh junior wide receiver Troy Pelletier and Holy Cross senior wide receiver Brendan Flaherty are both two-time All-Patriot League First Team selections. Pelletier finished among the FCS top-10 in receiving yards (1,140), receptions per game (8.0) and receiving touchdowns (11). Flaherty finished with 59 catches for 621 yards and four touchdowns, while also serving as a factor in the run game for the Crusaders. Pelletier and Flaherty are joined on the first team by Lehigh junior wide receiver Gatlin Casey, who also finished among the nation’s leaders in receiving yards (1,098) and third in the FCS in receiving touchdowns with 14. Casey was also selected as the first team return specialist, leading the League with 26.8 yards per kickoff return, including a 93-yard return for a touchdown against Colgate.
Bucknell senior Julie’n Davenport and Colgate senior offensive lineman Jordi Dalmau both earn All-League honors for the fourth time, while making the first team for the third time during their impressive careers. Fordham junior Anthony Coyle and Lehigh senior Zach Duffy both make the first team after being second team selections in 2015, while Colgate junior Ryan Paulish earns his first All-League honor to round out the first team.
Afriyie, Bucknell junior defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson and Holy Cross senior defensive lineman Dewayne Cameron both make the First Team for the second-consecutive season. Anderson, who was a second team selection in 2014 earns All-League honors for the third time after compiling 14.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. Cameron finished with 13.0 TFLs and 7.0 sacks to place among the League’s top five in both categories.
Lehigh senior linebacker Colton Caslow (72 total tackles, 10.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT) and Colgate senior linebacker Kyle Diener (74 TT, 11.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT) both repeat as First Team All-League selections, joined by Holy Cross junior linebacker Nick McBeath, who led the League with 104 tackles. Bucknell junior linebacker Ben Richard (95 TT, 11.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks), a second team selection last year, rounds out the first team linebackers.
The Bison had two key members of their secondary make the first team with senior defensive back Bret Berg, who tied for the League lead with four interceptions, and sophomore Bryan Marine, who was tied for the League lead in forced fumbles with three. They are joined by Fordham junior Caleb Ham, who finished with three interceptions and led the League with 85 interception return yards, including a touchdown. Colgate junior Chris Morgan (65 TT, 4.0 TFL, 2 pass breakups) rounds out the first team defensive backs.
Lehigh sophomore Ed Mish, a five-time Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week, was selected to the All-League First Team as a placekicker and punter. Mish went 6-of-10 on field goals and a perfect 59-of-59 on extra points, while averaging 62.1 yards per kickoff with 26 touchbacks. He also led the League with a 43.1 yards per punt average on 37 attempts. Georgetown senior defensive lineman Hunter Kiselick earns a spot on the first team as the special teams – non specialist after leading the FCS with four blocked kicks during the 2016 season.
Bucknell junior running back Joey DeFloria (230 carries, 1,091 yards, 10 TDs) is one of three Bison on the second team, including senior offensive lineman Griffin Barth and junior linebacker Mark Pyles (54 TT, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks). Colgate junior running back Keyon Washington (155 carries, 785 yards, 7 TDs) is one of eight Raiders on the second team, including senior wide receiver John Maddaluna III (54 rec., 878 yards, 5 TDs) and sophomore tight end Nick Martinsen (26 rec., 269 yards, 3 TDs) on offense. On defense, senior defensive lineman Brett Field (39 TT, 8.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks), junior Alex Campbell (34 TT, 4.0 TFL, 1.0 sack), senior linebacker Charles Cairnie (59 TT, 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks), senior defensive back Joe Figueroa (49 TT, 2 INTs) and sophomore defensive back Tyler Castillo (39 TT, 3 INTs) all made garnered All-League honors for the Raiders.
Fordham senior quarterback Kevin Anderson (201-of-325, 2,724 yards, 27 TDs, 4 INTs) leads six different Rams on the second team, including sophomore H-Back Isaiah Searight (13 rec, 181 yards, 2 TDs), sophomore receiver Austin Longi (59 rec., 774 yards, 5 TDs), junior offensive lineman Ben Hartman on offense. Senior Jihaad Pretlow earns second team honors as the return specialist and as a defensive back, while junior George Dawson (70 TT, 9.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 3 INTs) earns a second team spot at linebacker.
Georgetown received six spots on the second team with Kiselick (71 TT, 8.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 INT), senior linebacker Leo Loughrey (69 TT, 5.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks) and sophomore linebacker J’V’on Butler (87 TT, 5.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT) earning spots on defense. Senior placekicker Henry Darmstadter (11-of-14 FGs, 19-of-19 PATs), senior punter Harry McCollum (41.6 yards/punt) and freshman special teams – non-specialist Khristian Tate (3 blocked kicks) round out the Hoya selections.
Holy Cross had two second team selections with senior tight end Lucas Nikolaisen (32 rec., 244 receiving yards, 2 TDs) and senior offensive lineman James Murray. Lafayette junior wide receiver Matt Mrazek (71 rec., 755 receiving yards, 8 TDs) and sophomore defensive back Jerry Powe (78 TT, 9.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks) both earn spots on the second team, while Lehigh placed senior offensive linemen Tim O’Hara and Brandon Short, senior linebacker Brandon Leaks (35 TT, 2.0 TFL, 2 INTs) and junior defensive lineman Tyler Cavenas (48 TT, 6.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 1 INT).
The complete 2016 All-Patriot League Football First and Second Teams can be found below.
2016 Football All-Patriot League Team
Offensive Player of the Year: Nick Shafnisky, Lehigh (Sr., QB)
Defensive Player of the Year: Pat Afriyie, Colgate (Jr., DL)
Rookie of the Year: Abu Daramy, Colgate (Fr., RS/DB)
Coach of the Year: Andy Coen, Lehigh
First-Team Offense
QB: Nick Shafnisky, Lehigh (Sr.)
RB: Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (So.)
RB: Chase Edmonds, Fordham (Jr.)
FB/HB: John Wilkins, Colgate (Sr.)
WR: Gatlin Casey, Lehigh (Jr.)
WR: Brendan Flaherty, Holy Cross (Sr.)
WR: Troy Pelletier, Lehigh (Jr.)
TE: Dylan Wadsworth, Lafayette (Jr.)
OL: Anthony Coyle, Fordham (Jr.)
OL: Jordi Dalmau, Colgate (Sr.)
OL: Julie’n Davenport, Bucknell (Sr.)
OL: Zach Duffy, Lehigh (Sr.)
OL: Ryan Paulish, Colgate (Jr.)
PK: Ed Mish, Lehigh (So.)
RS: Gatlin Casey, Lehigh (Jr.)
First-Team Defense
DL: Abdullah Anderson, Bucknell (Jr.)
DL: Pat Afriyie, Colgate (Jr.)
DL: Dewayne Cameron, Holy Cross (Sr.)
DL: Justin Vaughn, Fordham (Sr.)
LB: Colton Caslow, Lehigh (Sr.)
LB: Kyle Diener, Colgate (Sr.)
LB: Nick McBeath, Holy Cross (Jr.)
LB: Ben Richard, Bucknell (Jr.)
DB: Bret Berg, Bucknell (Sr.)
DB: Caleb Ham, Fordham (Jr.)
DB: Bryan Marine, Bucknell (So.)
DB: Chris Morgan, Colgate (Jr.)
P: Ed Mish, Lehigh (So.)
Special Teams – Non-Specialist: Hunter Kiselick, Georgetown (Sr.)
Second-Team Offense#
QB: Kevin Anderson, Fordham (Sr.)
RB: Joey DeFloria, Bucknell (Jr.)
RB: Keyon Washington, Colgate (Jr.)
FB/HB: Isaiah Searight, Fordham (So.)
WR: Austin Longi, Fordham (So.)
WR: John Maddaluna III, Colgate (Sr.)
WR: Matt Mrazek, Lafayette (Jr.)
TE: Nick Martinsen, Colgate (So.)
TE: Lucas Nikolaisen, Holy Cross (Sr.)
OL: Griffin Barth, Bucknell (Sr.)
OL: Ben Hartman, Fordham (Jr.)
OL: Tim O’Hara, Lehigh (Sr.)
OL: James Murray, Holy Cross (Sr.)
OL: Brandon Short, Lehigh (Sr.)
PK: Henry Darmstadter, Georgetown (Sr.)
RS: Jihaad Pretlow, Fordham (Sr.)
RS: Jake Wieczorek, Holy Cross (Sr.)
Second-Team Defense%
DL: Alex Campbell, Colgate (Jr.)
DL: Tyler Cavenas, Lehigh (Jr.)
DL: Brett Field, Colgate (Sr.)
DL: Hunter Kiselick, Georgetown (Sr.)
LB: J’V’on Butler, Georgetown (So.)
LB: Charles Cairnie, Colgate (Sr.)
LB: George Dawson, Fordham (Jr.)
LB: Leo Loughrey, Georgetown (Sr.)
LB: Mark Pyles, Bucknell (Jr.)
DB: Tyler Castillo, Colgate (So.)
DB: Joe Figueroa, Colgate (Sr.)
DB: Brandon Leaks, Lehigh (Sr.)
DB: Jerry Powe, Lafayette (So.)
DB: Jihaad Pretlow, Fordham (Sr.)
P: Harry McCollum, Georgetown (Sr.)
Special Teams – Non-Specialist: Khristian Tate, Georgetown, (Fr.)
# - 18 players due to tie in voting
% - 16 players due to tie in voting
Teams are sorted alphabetically by position