Jan. 6, 2008

Center Valley, Pa. - Colgate senior offensive lineman Nick Hennessey became the first Patriot Leaguer since 2004 to be named to the four major Football Championship Subdivision All-America teams, as he earned a first-team selection from The Sports Network on Tuesday to go with prior honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp and the Associated Press.

In addition to the major All-America honors, Hennessey was also the only Patriot Leaguer named to the College Sporting News Fabulous Fifty All-America team on Monday. Lafayette senior linebacker Andy Romans joined Hennessey on The Sports Network All-America team as a second-team selection.

Hennessey is the first Patriot Leaguer since Fordham's Tad Kornegay in 2004 to earn All-America honors from each of the four major organizations. He received first-team recognition on each squad except the Associated Press, where he was a second-team selection.

Hennessey earned First-Team All-Patriot League honors for leading a unit that ranked fifth nationally in rushing offense with 267.67 yards per game and 12th in total offense with 416.5 yards per game. Hennessey started 34 straight games for the Raiders, who won their sixth Patriot League Championship by completing a perfect 5-0 mark in League action.

Romans receives a second-team nod at linebacker after earning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors and First-Team All-League status for the second year in a row. He was also named as a second-team All-American by the Associated Press.

A finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award given to the Top Defensive Player in the FCS, Romans made 96 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and one blocked kick for the Leopards, who finished 7-4 overall and 3-3 in Patriot League play. He led a Lafayette defense that placed first in the Patriot League and in the top 20 nationally in rushing, total and scoring defense.

The Patriot League had at least two players on The Sports Network All-America team for the seventh consecutive season. Colgate has had at least one honoree on the squad for three straight years, while Romans was Lafayette's first Sports Network All-American since 2005.

A number of Patriot Leaguers received honorable mention status from the two organizations. The College Sporting News named Colgate freshman running back Nate Eachus as an honorable mention choice for Freshman of the Year honors, while also recognizing Romans and Lehigh defensive back Quadir Carter as honorable mention choices at their positions.

The Sports Network gave seven Patriot League student-athletes honorable mention status, a group that includes: Holy Cross senior quarterback Dominic Randolph, Colgate senior running back Jordan Scott, Lafayette sophomore kicker Davis Rodriguez, Lehigh senior punter Jason Leo, senior defensive lineman Brian Jackson and senior linebacker Tim Diamond, and Bucknell junior return specialist A.J. Kizekai.