Nov. 21, 2006

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Center Valley, Pa. - Patriot League co-football champions Lafayette and Lehigh each placed 14 student-athletes on the 2006 All-Patriot League football team, with the Mountain Hawks leading the way with 10 First-Team selections. The 10 First-Team nods for Lehigh tied for the third most in Patriot League history. The 2006 All-Patriot League Football team is selected by the Patriot League's seven head coaches.

All five major Patriot League football awards were spread throughout the League, as Holy Cross Head Coach Tom Gilmore was named Patriot League Coach of the Year in his third season at the helm of the Crusaders. Gilmore became the first Holy Cross head coach to win the honor since Mark Duffner in 1991.

Lafayette senior running back Jonathan Hurt (Orlando, Fla.) was named the Patriot League's Offensive Player of the Year, while Fordham senior linebacker Marcus Taylor (Silver Spring, Md.) was tabbed as the Patriot League's 2006 Defensive Player of the Year. Lehigh sophomore kicker and punter Jason Leo (Harleysville, Pa.) was selected Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Year and Georgetown freshman running back Charlie Houghton (Toronto, Ontario) became the first Hoya to ever claim a major Patriot League postseason football honor, earning the 2006 Patriot League Rookie of the Year award.

Hurt scored a Patriot League leading 17 touchdowns, 15 on the ground as he rumbled his way to his first 1,000-yard rushing season. He finished second overall in the Patriot League with 1,124 yards on the ground and added a career-high 291 receiving yards on 25 grabs. Hurt enters the NCAA Division I Football Championship First Round 25th in the nation in all-purpose yards and 24th in rushing.

A two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week selection in 2006, Hurt saved his best performance of the year for the regular-season finale with a career-high 160 yards and two touchdowns as Lafayette topped Lehigh, 49-27, to claim a share of its third-straight Patriot League crown and earn a berth to its third-straight NCAA Division I Football Championship. His 33 career rushing touchdowns in tied for ninth all-time in Patriot League history, while his 2,493 career rushing yards currently ranks him 21st all-time, second most among active Patriot League student-athletes.

Hurt becomes the sixth Lafayette student-athlete to be named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, and first since Joe McCourt in 2004.

Taylor finished second in the Patriot League and 11th in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision with 10.55 tackles per game in 2006. He racked up 116 total tackles for the Rams, with 52 solo stops and 64 assisted tackles. His four sacks (for losses of 37 yards) tied for the fourth highest in the Patriot League, while his 12.0 tackles for a loss (for 57 yards) ranked sixth in the Patriot League.

In addition to the sheer number of stops he made, Taylor also literally took possession away from opponents, forcing a Patriot League high four fumbles, recovering four fumbles (for 43 yards) and picking off three interceptions. He returned one of his fumble recoveries for a touchdown in a seven-point setback to eventual-champion Lafayette. Taylor was tabbed Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Leopards, which also included 15 tackles, two forced fumbles, three tackles for a loss and a sack.

Taylor becomes just the third Fordham student-athlete to be named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, and first since Aaron Dougherty in 1993.

A two-time Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week in 2006, Leo was Mr. Everything for Lehigh, taking kickoff, punting, field goal and point after duties for the co-champions. He led all kickers in points in 2006, converting a Patriot League high 12 field goals and 33-of-34 point after attempts for 69 points, which ranked third overall among all Patriot League student-athletes.

Leo averaged 37.8 yards per punt, landing six inside the opponent's 20. He kicked a season-high 41-yard field goal against Yale on Oct. 14. Against Georgetown, Leo connected for three field goals, both PATs and averaged 51.3 yards on six kickoffs.

Leo becomes the first Mountain Hawk to be named Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Year, in just the award's third-year of existence.

Picked to finish fourth in the 2006 Patriot League Preseason Poll, Gilmore led the Crusaders to within one win of the program's first Patriot League title since 1991. Holy Cross was in contention for the Patriot League title up until its final game of the season. Gilmore led the Crusaders to its first five-game winning streak in six years. Holy Cross' 7-4 record and 4-2 Patriot League mark matched its best season since posting identical records in 2000.

Holy Cross took control of the driver's seat for the League title early with three-straight wins, including a 38-28 win at Lafayette, which snapped a four-game slide against the Leopards and improved the Crusaders to 3-0 in the Patriot League. Gilmore is now 16-17 overall and 8-10 in the Patriot League during his three seasons at the helm at Holy Cross. He has gone 13-9 overall and 7-5 in the Patriot League over the last two seasons.

Lehigh split its 10 First-Team All-Patriot League selections evenly between the offense and defense. Eight of the 10 Mountain Hawks are first-time honorees as senior offensive lineman John Reese (Cleveland, Ohio) and senior defensive lineman Royce Morgan (Avenel, N.J.) were both named to the Second-Team in 2005. Rounding out Lehigh's First-Team honorees on offense is junior quarterback Sedale Threatt (Boston, Mass.), senior tight end Landon Maggs (Galloway, Ohio), senior offensive lineman Jim Petrucelli (Greenville, Del.) and Leo at kicker.

Four seniors made up the rest of Lehigh's First-Team contingent on defense - defensive linemen Paul Fabre (Beverly Hills, Mich.) and Eric Rakus (Suffield, Conn.), and defensive backs Julian Austin (Plainfield, N.J.) and Brannon Thomas (Belle Glade, Fla.).

Lehigh's four Second-Team honorees were all first-time selections to the All-Patriot League team - senior running back Marques Thompson (Baltimore, Md.), junior offensive lineman Jim Kehs (Gilbertsville, Pa.), senior linebacker Matt Mohler (Morgantown, W.Va.) and junior defensive back Ernest Moore (Detroit, Mich.).

Five of Lafayette's 14 All-Patriot League honorees were named to the First-Team, Hurt, senior wide receiver Joe Ort (Deltona, Fla.), 2005 First-Team selections senior offensive lineman Mike Saint Germain (Morris Plains, N.J.) and senior defensive lineman Marvin Snipes (Philadelphia, Pa.) and 2005 Second-Team honoree senior defensive back Torian Johnson (Largo, Fla.)

Nine student-athletes made up Lafayette's Second-Team representation - senior quarterback Brad Maurer (Loveland, Ohio; 2nd in 2005), senior tight end Kevin Ganascioli (Woodbine, Md.), junior offensive lineman Greg Lippert (River Vale, N.J.), junior offensive lineman Jesse Padilla (Hawthorne, N.J.), senior kicker Rick Ziska (Sinking Spring, Pa.), senior defensive lineman Dan Liseno (Clyde, N.Y.), junior defensive lineman Kyle Sprenkle (Thomasville, Pa.), sophomore linebacker Andy Romans (Allendale, N.J.) and junior defensive back Adrian Lawson (Hyattsville, Md.).

Third-place Holy Cross placed the next highest contingent with seven student-athletes on the squad. Leading the way were four First-Team picks - junior wide receiver Ryan Maher (Boca Raton, Fla.), Second-Team 2005 selection senior offensive lineman Andrew Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.), senior offensive lineman Hall McMillan (Annapolis, Md.) and Second-Team 2005 honoree senior defensive back Casey Gough (Hinsdale, Ill.).

The Crusaders Second-Team selections included junior wide receiver Thomas Harrison (Wilmington, N.C.), senior defensive lineman John Markus Pinard (Bellevue, Wash.) and senior linebacker Dan Adams (Springfield, Va.).

Fourth-place Colgate and Bucknell followed with five selections each. The Raiders placed three student-athletes on the First-Team; 2005 Offensive Player of the Year and Second-Team honoree sophomore Jordan Scott (Hyattsville, Md.), 2005 Second-Team honoree senior offensive lineman Jake Sulovski (Hampton, N.J.) and junior linebacker and the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision's leading tackler Mike Gallihugh (Midlothian, Va.).

Colgate's Second-Team members were junior wide receiver Erik Burke (Traverse City, Md.) and senior punter Jason Sutton (North Easton, Mass.).

The lone Bison on the First-Team was senior linebacker Dorian Petersen (Rahway, N.J.). Bucknell's Second-Team quartet included junior running back Josh DeStefano (Altoona, Pa.), senior offensive lineman Stefan Niemczyk (Broomall, Pa.), senior offensive lineman Joel Hoffer (Schaeffertown, Pa.) and senior linebacker Matt Palermo (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Fordham placed three student-athletes on the All-Patriot League team, including First-Team selections Taylor (Second-Team in 2005) and the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision's third-leading punter, junior Benjamin Dato (Wyomissing, Pa.). Senior defensive lineman Jay Edwards was the Rams' Second-Team member.

Georgetown rounds out the 2006 All-Patriot League team with two student-athletes, two-time Second-Team honoree senior defensive lineman Alex Buzbee (Chester, N.J.) earned a First-Team nod while senior defensive back Brian Tandy (Virginia Beach, Va.) earned his first career selection to the Second-Team.

The complete 2006 All-Patriot League Football team can be found below.

2006 All-Patriot League Football Team

First-Team Offense QB Sedale Threatt, Lehigh; RB Jonathan Hurt, Lafayette; RB Jordan Scott, Colgate; WR Ryan Maher, Holy Cross; WR Joe Ort, Lafayette; TE Landon Maggs, Lehigh; OL Jake Sulovski, Colgate; OL Mike Saint Germain, Lafayette; OL John Reese, Lehigh; OL Andrew Schoepfer, Holy Cross; OL Jim Petrucelli, Lehigh; OL Hall McMillan, Holy Cross; K Jason Leo, Lehigh

First-Team DefenseDL Alex Buzbee, Georgetown; DL Marvin Snipe, Lafayette; DL Paul Fabre, Lehigh; DL Royce Morgan, Lehigh; DL Eric Rackus, Lehigh; LB Mike Gallihugh, Colgate; LB Marcus Taylor, Fordham; LB Dorian Petersen, Bucknell; DB Julian Austin, Lehigh; DB Casey Gough, Holy Cross; DB Torian Johnson, Lafayette; DB Brannon Thomas, Lehigh P Benjamin Dato, Fordham

Second-Team Offense QB Brad Maurer, Lafayette; RB Marques Thompson, Lehigh; RB Josh DeStefano, Bucknell; WR Thomas Harrison, Holy Cross; WR Eric Burke, Colgate; TE Kevin Ganascioli, OL Lafayette; Greg Lippert, Lafayette; OL Stefan Niemczyk, Bucknell; OL Joel Hoffer, Bucknell; OL Jim Kehs, Lehigh; OL Jesse Padilla, Lafayette; K Rick Ziska, Lafayette

Second-Team Defense DL John Markus Pinard, Holy Cross; DL Jay Edwards, Fordham; DL Dan Liseno, Lafayette; DL Kyle Sprenkle, Lafayette; LB Dan Adams, Holy Cross; LB Andy Romans, Lafayette; LB Matt Mohler, Lehigh; DB Ernest Moore, Lehigh; DB Brian Tandy, Georgetown; DB Matt Palermo, Bucknell; DB Adrian Lawson, Lafayette; P Jason Sutton, Colgate

Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Jonathan Hurt, Lafayette
Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Taylor, Fordham
Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Year Jason Leo, Lehigh
Patriot League Rookie of the Year Charlie Houghton, Georgetown
Patriot League Coach of the Year Tom Gilmore, Holy Cross