BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Two-time defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross finished atop the preseason poll when the League office announced preseason football honors on Tuesday Fordham swept the major awards with senior quarterback Tim DeMorat and senior linebacker Ryan Greenhagen receiving Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively.
 
The Crusaders (3-1, 2-0 PL) received 71 points and 11 first-place votes as they enter the 2021 season looking to collect their third-straight Patriot League title under Head Coach Bob Chesney. Fordham (2-1 PL) placed a League-high 10 student-athletes on the preseason All-League squad, including both of the major award winners, and were picked second in the preseason poll with 63 points and three first-place votes.
 
Lafayette (2-1 PL) placed third in the preseason poll with 44 points in front of rival Lehigh (0-3 PL), who totaled 35 points to rank fourth. Bucknell (2-2, 2-1 PL), the 2021 spring runner-up, was picked fifth with 28 points. Georgetown (5-6, 1-5 PL in ’19) received 28 points to finish sixth in the preseason poll and returns to action for the first time since 2019. Colgate (0-2 PL) rounds out the preseason poll with 23 points.
 
DeMorat and Greenhagen garnered preseason accolades after winning the postseason major awards following the spring season. They highlight a 31-member Preseason All-Patriot League team that features 23 returning All-League honorees, including 12 on offense and 11 on defense. Fordham’s DeMorat and Greenhagen, Dequece Carter (Jr., WR), John Coste (Sr., DL), Fotis Kokosioulis (Jr., WR), Phil Saleh (Sr., OL), Trey Sneed (Sr., RB) and Nick Zakelj (Sr., OL) made the preseason squad after being First Team All-Patriot League selections in the spring. Bucknell’s Gavin Pringle (Sr., DB), Colgate’s Will Gruber (Sr., RS/DB), Holy Cross’ Jacob Dobbs (Jr., LB), Derek Ng (Sr., PK), John Smith (Sr., DB) and Benton Whitley (Sr., DL), and Lafayette’s Malik Hamm (Sr., DL) and Steven Stilianos (Sr., TE) were also first-team honorees.
 
The Rams placed a League-high 10 student-athletes on the preseason All-League team. Holy Cross followed with seven, while Lafayette placed six on the team and Colgate added four. Bucknell had two preseason All-League selections, while Georgetown and Lehigh had one apiece.
 
Voting for the Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team, the offensive and defensive player of the year, and preseason poll was completed by Patriot League football head coaches and sports information directors from the seven League schools. They cannot vote for their team or student-athletes.
 
2021 Patriot League Football Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Sr., QB, Merritt Island, Fla./Viera
2020-21 Spring Stats: 93-for-129 passing for 1,049 yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs, 148.5 pass efficiency
*DeMorat, a two-time First-Team All-Patriot League honoree, was named the 2021 Spring Offensive Player of the Year after leading the League and ranking sixth in the FCS with 349.7 passing yards per game.
* He threw a League-high five touchdown passes and rushed for two more scores, while helping the Rams’ offense pace the Patriot League and place among the FCS’s top-20 in scoring offense (31.7 pts/gm) and total offense (433.3 yds/gm).
*DeMorat among the top-10 active FCS quarterbacks in passing yards (5,356) and top-25 in passing efficiency (127.44).
 
2021 Patriot League Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, Sr., LB, Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII
2020-21 Stats: 2 games, 22 tackles, 11.0 tackles per game
*Greenhagen, a three-time All-League selection, was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year following the 2021 spring season.
*He led the League with 11.0 tackles per game, including a Patriot League single-game high 16 tackles in the Rams’ 40-8 victory over Colgate.
*He is second among active FCS players in tackles for loss per game (1.37) and 10th in total tackles per game (8.08) through 26 career games.
 
2021 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll
Holy Cross (11 first-place votes), 71
Fordham (3), 63
Lafayette, 44
Lehigh, 35
Bucknell, 30
Georgetown, 28
Colgate, 23
 
2021 Patriot League Football Preseason All-League Team
OFFENSE (16)*
QB: Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Sr.
RB: Trey Sneed, Fordham, Sr.
RB: Zach Davis, Fordham, Sr.
WR: Dequece Carter, Fordham, Jr.
WR: Fotis Kokosioulis, Fordham, Jr.
WR: Ayir Asante, Holy Cross, Jr.
TE: Steven Stilianos, Lafayette, Sr.
FB/HB: Mason Gilbert, Lafayette, So.
OL: Jayvion Queen, Colgate, Sr.
OL: Nick Zakelj, Fordham, Sr.
OL: Phil Saleh, Fordham, Sr.
OL: Nick Olsofka, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Gavin Barclay, Lafayette, Sr.
PK: Derek Ng, Holy Cross, Sr.
RS: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, So.
RS: Will Gruber, Colgate, Sr.
 
DEFENSE (15)*
DL: Benton Whitley, Holy Cross, Sr.
DL: Malik Hamm, Lafayette, Sr.
DL: John Coste, Fordham, Sr.
DL: Damon Washington, Lafayette, Jr.
LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, Jr.
LB: Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, Sr.
LB: Milton Braasch II, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Marco Olivas, Lafayette, Jr.
DB: John Smith, Holy Cross, Sr.
DB: Stephen Williams, Fordham, Jr.
DB: Collin Heard, Colgate, Sr.
DB: Gavin Pringle, Bucknell, Jr.
P: Patrick Haughney, Holy Cross, Jr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist: Palmer Nix, Georgetown, Sr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist: Jack Bush, Lehigh, Jr.
 
*Additional return specialist and special teams non-specialist selected due to a tie in the voting
 
All seven Patriot League football programs kick off the 2021 season on Saturday, September 4. For more information on the 2021 Patriot League football composite schedule by CLICKING HERE.
 
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The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.