BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Three-time defending champion Holy Cross finished atop the 2022 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll when it was announced by the League office on Tuesday. Fordham graduate student quarterback Tim DeMorat and Lafayette graduate student defensive lineman Malik Hamm received preseason offensive and defensive player of the year, respectively.
The Crusaders (10-3, 6-0 PL) garnered 71 points and 11 first-place votes as they attempt to claim a Patriot League record fourth-straight League crown under defending coach of the year Bob Chesney. Fordham (6-5, 4-2 PL) was picked second in the preseason poll with 61 points and two first-place votes. Colgate (5-6, 5-1 PL) enters the 2022 season as the third-ranked team in the League with 50 points and one first-place vote. They finished second in the League in 2021 after being predicted to finish seventh in the preseason poll.
Lafayette (3-8, 2-4 PL), under the direction of new head coach John Troxell, was voted fourth in the preseason poll with 42 points. Lehigh (3-8, 3-3 PL) was picked fifth with 35 points after winning its final three games of the 2021 season. Georgetown (2-8, 1-5 PL) (21) and Bucknell (1-10, 0-6 PL) (14) were selected sixth and seventh, respectively, matching their finish at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
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.
2022 Patriot League Football Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Gr., QB, Merritt Island, Fla./Viera
2021 Stats: 234-for-400 passing for 3,214 yards, 31 TDs, 9 INTs, 147.1 pass efficiency*
*DeMorat is a two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and three-time First Team All-Patriot League honoree while placing 10th among active FCS quarterbacks in passing yards (8,570) and touchdown passes (67).
*The Merritt Island, Fla. native led the Patriot League and finished ninth in the FCS in passing yards per game (292.2) and touchdown passes (31) last season.
*He led the Rams’ offense to a Patriot League-leading 33.6 points and 450.8 yards of total offense per game. Fordham’s ranked 11th in the FCS in total offense and 15th in scoring offense.
2022 Patriot League Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Malik Hamm, Lafayette, 5th., DL, 5th, Baltimore, Md./City College
2021 Stats: 64 tackles (37 solos), 7.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 2 fumbles forced
*Hamm is a four-time All-Patriot League selection and the 2019 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year. He is eighth among active FCS players with 0.64 sacks per game.
*He posted a career-high 64 tackles to go along with 7.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks in 2021 to help the Leopards’ defense finish second in the Patriot League in scoring defense (23.5).
*The Baltimore native’s 23.5 career sacks are second in Lafayette history and 15th in Patriot League history. In four seasons, Hamm has accumulated 184 tackles and 38.0 TFLs for 175 yards.
2022 Preseason All-Patriot League Football by the Numbers
Holy Cross Leads the Way with 14 Preseason All-League Selections
Three-time defending champion Holy Cross posted a League-best 14 student-athletes on the 29-member preseason All-League team, including eight on offense and six on defense. Fordham finished with seven preseason All-League members with five on offense and two on defense. Lehigh placed three student-athletes on defense, while Lafayette had two on defense. Bucknell, Colgate and Georgetown had one preseason All-League selection apiece.
Seventeen 2021 First-Team All-Patriot League Football Selections Make Preseason Squad
DeMorat and Hamm highlight 17 players that were selected to the 2021 Patriot League Football First Team that were voted onto the preseason team. Fordham senior wide receivers Dequece Carter and Fotis Kokosioulis, senior offensive lineman Phil Saleh, Georgetown fifth-year wide receiver/return specialist Joshua Tomas, Holy Cross senior running back Peter Oliver, senior offensive lineman Nick Olsofka, junior offensive lineman Luke Newman and senior placekicker Derek Ng all made last season’s first-team offense. Crusaders’ senior defensive lineman Dan Kuznetsov, senior linebackers Jacob Dobbs and Liam Anderson and senior defensive backs John Smith and Terrell Prince all made the first-team defense. Lafayette’s Hamm and senior linebacker Marco Olivas and Lehigh senior defensive back TyGee Leach were also first-teamers.
Five 2021 Second-Team All-Patriot League Football Honorees Earn Preseason Recognition
Holy Cross junior quarterback, the 2020-21 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, earned a spot on the preseason squad after being a second-team selection in 2021. He was joined by teammates Jalen Coker (Jr., WR), Pat McMurtrie (Sr., OL) and Sean Morris (Sr., TE), who were second-team selections on offense. Lehigh teammates Mikhari Sibblis (Sr., DL) and LaTreil Wimberly (Jr., DB) made the preseason squad after being selected to the second-team defense in 2021.
2022 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll
1. Holy Cross, 71 points (11 first-place votes)
2. Fordham, 61 points (2)
3. Colgate, 50 (1)
4. Lafayette, 42
5. Lehigh, 35
6. Georgetown, 21
7. Bucknell, 14
2022 Patriot League Football Preseason Major Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Gr., QB
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Malik Hamm, Lafayette, 5th., DL
OFFENSE (15)
QB: Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Gr.
QB: Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Jr.
RB: Peter Oliver, Holy Cross, Sr.
RB: Trey Sneed, Fordham, Gr.
WR: Dequece Carter, Fordham, Sr.
WR: Fotis Kokosioulis, Fordham, Sr.
WR: Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, Jr.
TE: Sean Morris, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: AJ DeSantis, Colgate, Sr.
OL: Nick Olsofka, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Pat McMurtrie, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Luke Newman, Holy Cross, Jr.
OL: Phil Saleh, Fordham, Sr.
PK: Derek Ng, Holy Cross, Sr.
RS: Joshua Tomas, Georgetown, 5th
DEFENSE (14)
DL: Jonathan Coste, Fordham, Gr.
DL: Dan Kuznetsov, Holy Cross, Sr.
DL: Malik Hamm, Lafayette, 5th
DL: Mikhari Sibblis, Lehigh, Sr.
LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, Sr.
LB: Liam Anderson, Holy Cross, Sr.
LB: Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, Gr.
LB: Marco Olivas, Lafayette, Sr.
DB: Gavin Pringle, Bucknell, Sr.
DB: John Smith, Holy Cross, Sr.
DB: TyGee Leach, Lehigh, Sr.
DB: LaTreil Wimberly, Lehigh, Jr.
P: Patrick Haughney, Holy Cross, Sr.
STNS: Terrell Prince, Holy Cross, Sr.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athlete 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.