BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League will announce its preseason football honors during the 2026 Patriot League Preseason Football Show on at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday, July 29, on ESPN+. The two-hour show will unveil the 2026 preseason poll, major award winners, and preseason All-League Team while kicking off a New Era of Patriot League Football.
Paige Messier will host the season preview show, featuring interviews with the head coaches from all 10 Patriot League football programs, including new members Villanova and William & Mary. She will visit with each program to discuss key returning student-athletes and storylines heading into one of the most anticipated seasons in League history.
The Patriot League Preseason Football Show will also feature interviews with Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel and analysis from Craig Haley, FCS Senior Editor, for Stats Perform.
For more information about the 2026 Patriot League football season, visit the League’s official website — PatriotLeague.org — and follow the League on Instagram (@patriotleague) and X (@PatriotLeague).
2026 Patriot League Preseason Football Show Link – WATCH (on July 29 at 7 p.m.)
PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL HISTORY
The Patriot League will enter its 41st season this fall at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The League formed in 1986 with charter members Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh. Fordham has maintained its football member status since 1990, and Georgetown joined as a Patriot League football associate member beginning in 2001. Since 2024, the League has added three storied programs with a history of FCS success with Richmond (2025), Villanova (2026) and William & Mary (2026), establishing itself as a powerful 10-team League committed to excellence on the field and in the classroom.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
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 who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.