Sept. 13, 2012

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Fordham senior punter/placekicker Patrick Murray earned preseason All-America status from numerous media outlets, and now he's living up to the expectations early in the season with a haul of awards in the first two weeks.

The latest came on Wednesday, as Murray was selected as the one of two special teams honorees on the College Sports Journal/GameWornUniforms.com national players of the week list. He was also honored this week as the College Football Performance Awards Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Placekicker of the Week and an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Honorable Mention recipient.

The awards came after Murray's outstanding effort against Villanova on Saturday, which also earned him the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week honor. He made a pair of second-quarter field goals from 50 and 37 yards out, the first coming just two yards shy of the Patriot League record he set last week. Murray punted five times for a 44.0 average, and also gained 25 yards on a fake punt that set up Fordham's first-quarter touchdown as the Rams held a 13-7 halftime lead before falling 28-13.

This week's honors from the Patriot League and College Football Performance Awards were the second consecutive for Murray, who was also singled out for his outstanding performance in Fordham's 55-0 season-opening win over Lock Haven on Aug. 30. He broke a school and Patriot League record with a 52-yard field goal in the win, besting the League mark by one yard and the Fordham record by two yards. Murray also converted on a 20-yard field goal and all seven of his extra-point attempts to score 13 points in the game. He booted his only punt for 50 yards, and six of 10 kickoffs went for touchbacks.

Murray's 52-yard field goal is the longest in the FCS this season. He is one of five placekickers to make a field goal of 50 yards or more in 2012, and the only one to do it twice. Murray is one punt shy of qualifying for the national leaderboard, but his 45.0 average would rank in a tie for third in the FCS.

Murray and the Rams return home on Saturday to face Cornell in a 1 p.m. kickoff.