CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Fordham senior running back Chase Edmonds and Colgate senior defensive lineman Pat Afriyie were selected Patriot League Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively when Patriot League Preseason honors were announced on Thursday morning.
Edmonds, a 2016 consensus All-American led the nation in rushing yards per game (163.5) and finished second in scoring (10.9 points/game), while finishing fourth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS’s top offensive player. This is the third consecutive season that Edmonds has earned the preseason award. Edmonds is 1,274 yards shy of the FCS career rushing yards record.
Afriyie, the 2016 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and STATS FCS Second Team All-America selection, led the League and tied for fourth in the FCS with 21.0 tackles for loss (TFL) to help Colgate rank as the nation’s stingiest rush defense (69.4 yards/game). He was also tied for the League lead and fourth in the nation with 1.0 sack per game during his junior season.
Lehigh led the Preseason All-Patriot League team with nine selections. Fordham received the remaining three first-place votes followed with seven preseason All-League selections. Colgate had four, while Bucknell had three preseason All-League members. Georgetown and Lafayette each had two apiece, while Holy Cross finished with one.
Voting for the individual awards and preseason All-League team is conducted by the Patriot League’s seven head coaches and football sports information directors, who are not eligible to vote for their own players.
-----
Edmonds is joined in the preseason All-League team backfield by Lehigh junior running back Dom Bragalone, a 2016 first team selection, who finished second in the League with 1,106 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Fordham graduate student quarterback Kevin Anderson makes the team after earning second team honors in 2016 (201-for-325 for 2,724 yards, 27 TDs).
Lehigh’s senior wide receiver duo of Troy Pelletier (88 rec., 1,140 yards, 11 TDs) and Gatlin Casey (58 rec., 1,098 yards, 14 TDs) each make the squad after earning first team honors in 2016. Casey was also named the preseason All-League return specialist, after averaging 26.8 yards per kick return, including a 93-yard touchdown return against Colgate. They are joined by Fordham junior Austin Longi (59 rec., 774 yards, 6 TDs), a second team selection last season. Lafayette senior tight end Dylan Wadsworth (42 rec., 591 yards, 2 TDs) was also selected to the preseason team after earning first team honors last season.
Three 2016 first team selections return on the offensive line, including Colgate senior Ryan Paulish, Fordham senior Anthony Coyle and Lehigh senior Zach Duffy. They are joined on the preseason All-League team by 2016 second teamers Fordham senior Ben Hartman and Lehigh senior Tim O’Hara.
The preseason All-League defense features six returning All-Patriot League First Team selections from a season ago, including Afriyie. He’s joined on defensive line by Bucknell senior Abdullah Anderson, who finished, who finished second in the League with 14.5 TFL and third with 9.5 sacks. Fordham graduate student Manny Adeyeye (16 TT, 3.0 TFL, and 3.0 sacks in ’16) and Lehigh senior Tyler Cavenas (48 TT, 4.0 sacks), a second team selection last year, who rounds out the front four.
Holy Cross senior Nick McBeath, a 2016 first team selection, led the League with 106 tackles last season and will be joined by Bucknell senior Ben Richard, who finished with 95 tackles and 11.5 TFL. Georgetown junior J’V’on Butler joins them after earning second team All-League last season after finishing with 87 tackles and two forced fumbles. Lafayette senior Brandon Bryant also makes the preseason team, after being limited to five games last season due to injury. Bryant led the League with 114 tackles in 2015.
Bucknell junior Bryan Marine and Fordham senior Caleb Ham both earn preseason All-League honors after being first team selections following the 2016 season. Marine led the League with 15 passes defended, while Ham finished with three interceptions, including a 63-yard return for a touchdown against Yale. Colgate sophomore Abu Daramy earns preseason All-League honors after being named Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2016, while teammate junior Tyler Castillo (43 TT, 3 INTs) rounds out the defensive backfield.
Lehigh junior Ed Mish was selected as the preseason All-League punter and placekicker, after earning first team honors at both spots last season. Mish was 6-for-10 on field goal attempts and a perfect 59-for-59 on extra point attempts. He also had a League-leading 43.1 yards per punt average. Georgetown sophomore Khristian Tate makes the squad as the special teams non-specialist after tying for second in the FCS with three blocked kicks during his freshman campaign.
-----
2017 Patriot League Football Preseason All-League Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Chase Edmonds, RB, Fordham (Sr.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Pat Afriyie, DL, Colgate (Sr.)
Offense#
QB: Kevin Anderson, Fordham (Gr.)
RB: Chase Edmonds, Fordham (Sr.)
RB: Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (Jr.)
WR: Austin Longi, Fordham (Jr.)
WR: Troy Pelletier, Lehigh (Sr.)
WR: Gatlin Casey, Lehigh (Sr.)
TE: Dylan Wadsworth, Lafayette (Sr.)
OL: Ryan Paulish, Colgate (Sr.)
OL: Anthony Coyle, Fordham (Sr.)
OL: Ben Hartman, Fordham (Sr.)
OL: Zach Duffy, Lehigh (Sr.)
OL: Tim O’Hara, Lehigh (Sr.)
Defense
DL: Abdullah Anderson, Bucknell (Sr.)
DL: Pat Afriyie, Colgate (Sr.)
DL: Manny Adeyeye, Fordham (Gr.)
DL: Tyler Cavenas, Lehigh (Sr.)
LB: Ben Richard, Bucknell (Sr.)
LB: J’V’on Butler, Georgetown (Jr.)
LB: Nick McBeath, Holy Cross (Sr.)
LB: Brandon Bryant, Lafayette (Sr.)
DB: Bryan Marine, Bucknell (Jr.)
DB: Tyler Castillo, Colgate (Jr.)
DB: Abu Daramy, Colgate (So.)
DB: Caleb Ham, Fordham (Sr.)
Special Teams
PK: Ed Mish, Lehigh (Jr.)
P: Ed Mish, Lehigh (Jr.)
RS: Gatlin Casey, Lehigh (Sr.)
Non-Specialist Player: Khristian Tate, Georgetown (So.)
*Offense is short one player due to No FB/H-Back being nominated.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its third 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.