Oct. 13, 2008
Center Valley, Pa. - The Patriot League Preseason Players of the Year lived up to their billing over the weekend, as Holy Cross senior quarterback Dominic Randolph and Lafayette senior linebacker Andy Romans were named the League's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, on Monday. Colgate received the remaining two awards, with senior kicker Jacob Stein earning the Special Teams Player of the Week honor and defensive back Vinnie Nicosia receiving Rookie of the Week recognition for their performances in the Raiders' 27-24 win over Princeton on Saturday.
Randolph tied his own school record with 41 completions in 54 attempts while throwing for a season-high 430 yards and four touchdown passes to lead Holy Cross past Brown, 41-34. Romans notched 15 tackles and led a strong Lafayette defensive effort in a 13-3 win at Columbia. Stein hit both of his field goal attempts, including the career-high tying game-winner from 33 yards out, and Nicosia made seven tackles in Colgate's victory over Princeton.
Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week
Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross Sr., QB, 6'3, 223, Amelia, Ohio/St. Xavier
Randolph earns the eighth Offensive Player of the Week honor of his career, and his first this season, after an outstanding effort in a 41-34 Crusader victory over Brown. Randolph completed 41-of-54 passes for a season-high 430 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Crusaders to the win. He tossed three touchdown passes in the first half, with the final scoring pass late in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory. He tied his own school record, set last week at Yale, with 41 completions. Randolph also rushed for 11 yards to finish with 441 yards of total offense. The passing and total offense totals were both the fourth-highest single-game efforts in Holy Cross history. Randolph become the first player in Holy Cross history to have three career games with at least 400 yards passing, and his 12 career 300-yard efforts are one off the Patriot League record.
Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week
Andy Romans, Lafayette Sr., LB, 5'11, 215, Allendale, N.J./St. Joseph Regional
Romans receives Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second week in a row, and fifth time in his career, after recording 15 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss to lead a stout Lafayette defense in a 13-3 win at Columbia. Romans stepped up to help limit Columbia to 30 rushing yards even with four defensive starters out of the lineup for the Leopards. The Leopards are now ranked first nationally with 11.8 points allowed per game.
Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week
Jacob Stein, Colgate Sr., K, 5'10, 168, St. Petersburg, Fla./Shorecrest Prep
Stein earns his second Special Teams Player of the Week honor in the last three weeks after connecting on 2-of-2 field goals and 3-of-3 extra points in Colgate's 27-24 win over Princeton. He hit the game-winning field goal, a career-high tying 33-yarder, with just two seconds to play.
Patriot League Rookie of the Week
Vinnie Nicosia, Colgate Fr., DB, 6'0, 189, Amsterdam, N.Y./Amsterdam
Nicosia made seven tackles, including four solo stops, in Colgate's 27-24 win over Princeton. He receives his first Patriot League Rookie of the Week honor.
