Blazers sign Lehigh's McCollum

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Trail Blazers have signed rookie guard CJ McCollum.

Portland selected McCollum, 21, with the 10th overall pick in last month’s NBA Draft. The Canton, Ohio native averaged 21.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.05 steals and 32.9 minutes in 111 games over four seasons at Lehigh.

A two-time Patriot League Player of the Year, McCollum is the all-time scoring leader in league history with 2,361 career points. McCollum (6-3, 200) is the first player from Lehigh ever selected in the NBA Draft.

He will wear No. 3 for the Trail Blazers.

Brown tops White in Lehigh spring football

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh football team completed its spring season with the annual Brown and White Game inside Goodman Stadium. On a rain-soaked Saturday morning, the Mountain Hawks defense topped the offense 39-25 to give the Brown its second straight win. Lehigh’s defense intercepted three passes and limited the offense to just one touchdown on the day.

“This is kind of the way it has been all spring,” said Lehigh head coach Andy Coen about the subpar weather conditions. “I’m pleased that we were able to keep our focus and get a lot of good work done.”

The Mountain Hawks defense set the tone on a rainy day, keeping the offense without a first down through its first five possessions. Lehigh’s secondary will feature four new starters in 2011, with rising senior Kenyatta Drake stepping up with two interceptions and junior Bryan Andrews picking off a pass in the end zone to halt the offense’s first drive of the second half.

Unofficially, senior linebacker Mike Groome was credited with a team-high five tackles, while juniors Billy Boyko and Sam Loughery and sophomore Rickey Layton had four stops. Layton also was credited with a sack, while sophomore Nigel Muhammad was credited with two sacks.

Earlier in the day Boyko was honored with the Jim Gum Scholarship Award, which is presented in memory of former Lehigh football player James S. Gum ’84.

“Most of the time the defense will be ahead of the offense in the spring,” Coen explained. “We have a veteran group, especially in the front seven. They had a very strong spring so I’m confident in that group. Our secondary is a little young but I was pleased with how they played today. They didn’t give up many big plays and they came up with some turnovers, including a couple of big interceptions in the red zone. Kenyatta Drake, a senior, stepped up and Bryan Andrews, our most experienced guy made a great interception in the corner of the end zone. Defensively I feel really good about happened today.”

Offensively all three quarterbacks had their struggles, but Mountain Hawks did accomplish some nice things in the running game. Junior Zach Barket carried nine times for 41 yards, while classmate Marcus Dormevil was the top ground-gainer with 62 yards on six carries. Dormevil had a game-long 26 yard scamper around left end in the first half. Sophomores Keith Sherman and Cody Haupt both finished with 16 yards on the ground.

After a strong spring on the practice field, Lum had a rough day in the rain on Saturday. Without several of his top targets, Lum completed five of 14 passes for 27 yards, and was picked off three times. Junior Mike Colvin also started slowly, but came back in the second half to finish 7-of-15 for 67 yards. Colvin’s final two attempts resulted in a 30-yard completion to sophomore Lee Kurfis and a seven yard touchdown on a jump ball to senior Preston Soeprasetyo. Sophomore Brandon Bialkowski ran the final series for Lehigh and completed one pass in three attempts.

“We weren’t throwing the ball well today and the weather had something to do with that,” Coen said. “We’ve made a commitment to the run game this spring. All three of our tailbacks did some nice things today. Zach is a solid player who has played a lot of football for us. Keith Sherman has big play potential and is still just a freshman. Marcus Dormevil has really opened up everyone’s eyes. He’s a little smaller but he’s quick and has great vision. I’m going to leave here with a really good feeling about our running backs.”

Prior to the start of Saturday’s game four Mountain Hawks: Groome, Lum, Colin Newton and Keith Schauder, were named captains for the 2011 season.

Coen concluded Lehigh’s spring segment with these thoughts, “It will be a while before we can get back out there. Today was our last time out as a team so we wanted to put them in the most competitive situations that we could. You pick up a lot of things from seeing how guys perform in this game and in this stadium. I would have liked to see us throw the ball better today, but we competed well and came out relatively healthy. Defensively, the secondary played well and we ran the ball well offensively. The passing game will work itself out once everyone gets back.”

Lehigh will open preseason camp in early August with the 2011 season opener slated for Saturday, September 3 versus Monmouth in West Long Branch, N.J.

Delaware crushes Lehigh in FCS Playoffs

NEWARK, Del. – Lehigh’s memorable season came to an end on Saturday with a 42-20 loss to No. 3 Delaware in front of 13,649 at Delaware Stadium. The Mountain Hawks hung tough with the Blue Hens through 30 minutes but Delaware scored 28 unanswered points in the middle two quarters to break open a one point game.

 

Junior quarterback Chris Lum threw for a career-high 362 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but Delaware’s Pat Devlin threw for four scores to lead the Blue Hens (10-2) into the quarterfinals where they will face New Hampshire. Lehigh’s most successful season since 2001 ends with a 10-3 mark.

 

“Obviously today didn’t work out the way we would have liked it to,” said Lehigh head coach Andy Coen. “We knew we were playing an outstanding football team. We knew we were going to have to take advantage of the opportunities that were out there for us. They were a better football team. They were able to break some tackles. Their offense was outstanding, especially Devlin, and they were able to get some big plays on us which we hadn’t been giving up since early in the season.”

 

Delaware received the opening kickoff and marched down the field 68 yards in 11 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Junior Colin Newton sacked Pat Devlin on third down, but the Blue Hens converted a fourth and ten to keep the drive alive. Andrew Pierce bounced off a tackle and raced around the right side for a five-yard touchdown run for the game’s opening score.

 

Lehigh answered the Delaware touchdown with a score of its own in similar fashion. The Mountain Hawks drove 70 yards in 11 plays helped by a 23-yard pass from Lum to junior Jake Drwal on fourth and 12. On third and goal, Lum hit sophomore Ryan Spadola for at 13-yard score to tie the game at seven.

 

The Mountain Hawks’ defense then came up with the game’s first turnover as senior Al Pierce stripped Tommy Crosby after a 17-yard reception and senior Casey Eldemire recovered for Lehigh at its 49. After a nine play drive, Tom Randazza booted a 28-yard FG to give Lehigh a 10-7 lead in the opening seconds of the second quarter.

 

The Blue Hens answered right back with an 8-play, 60-yard drive. Devlin found Mark Schenauer on a post pattern for a 29-yard touchdown that gave UD a 14-10 advantage.

 

The punt-less first half continued as Lehigh answered Delaware’s touchdown with Randazza’s second field goal. Senior John Kennedy gave Lehigh good field position with a 41-yard return and after an eight play drive, Randazza kicked a 25-yard field goal to cut the Blue Hens’ lead to one.

 

Delaware answered the Lehigh field goal with a 10-play 66 yard drive and the Blue Hens added to their lead on a one-yard touchdown pass from Devlin to Chris Campbell.

 

From there the teams traded punts for the first time before Lehigh put together a drive near the end of the half. The Mountain Hawks worked their way into field goal range, but Lum’s pass was intercepted at the goal line by Anthony Walters and Delaware took a 21-13 lead into the half.

 

Total yards were close to even through 30 minutes with UD holding s slight 211-205 advantage. Lum was 19-of-27 for 198 yards a touchdown and an interception. Drwal was Lehigh’s leading receiver with seven receptions for 66 yards. The Mountain Hawks rushed for just seven yards in the first half.

 

“Offensively we did some nice things throwing the ball,” Coen said. “But we weren’t able to finish some key drives. A lot of times we were down in or near the red zone and came away with no points.”

 

Devlin was 11-of-15 for 158 yards and two scores. Pierce gained 37 yards on seven rushes while Schenauer caught four passes for 97 yards.

 

The Blue hens were able to extend their lead on their first possession of the second half. After Lehigh went three-and-out, Devlin hit Crosby for a 38-yard touchdown to extend the Delaware lead to 28-13. The lead then grew to 35-13 on a 16-yard run by David Hayes.

 

Delaware scored its third touchdown of the third quarter when Devlin hit Nihja White over the middle for 20 yards. It was Devlin’s fourth touchdown pass of the game.

 

On the first drive of the fourth quarter Lehigh got a score back on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Lum to junior Matt Fitz but those would be the last points of the game for either side.

 

Lum completed a career-high 35-of-58 passes for those 362 yards. He threw two touchdowns and two interceptions. Drwal was his top target with nine receptions for 84 yards, while Fitz added six grabs for 69 yards. The Lehigh ground game never got going with the team mustering just 29 yards on 20 attempts.

 

Defensively, Lehigh was led by senior Al Pierce who made 13 tackles and forced a fumble in his final game in the Brown and White.

 

For Delaware, Devlin was an efficient 19-of-26 for 256 yards. Schenauer finished with 113 yards on five receptions, while four other Blue Hens caught three balls each. Pierce rushed 18 times for 88 yards and Hayes added 74 yards on 12 carries. Lehigh held a 26-24 edge in first downs, but Delaware compiled 450 yards of total offense to 391 for the Mountain Hawks.

 

Lehigh concludes a season in which it won ten games, including its third straight win over rival Lafayette and a first round playoff win over Northern Iowa. The Mountain Hawks will say goodbye to 22 seniors.

 

“Our kids battled the whole game,” Coen said. “Their effort never waned. We’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about. We had a great season. We won the Patriot League, won ten games and went out and beat the champions of the Missouri Valley Conference. I think we’ll have a good football team coming back next year than can build off this experience.”

 

EXTRA POINTS… The loss snapped Lehigh’s eight-game win streak which was the longest among active FCS teams… Delaware is now 2-0 versus Lehigh in the NCAA playoffs… both meetings came in the second round after Lehigh defeated a Missouri Valley Conference opponent in the first round… Ryan Spadola capped his 1,000 yard receiving season with five catches for 72 yards and a touchdown… Fitz had six receptions on Saturday, but only five all season prior to the game… junior Mike Groome matched Pierce with 13 tackles… senior John Veniero recovered his fourth fumble of the season… Lehigh’s 42 points allowed were a season-high and the most since Holy Cross scored 59 in 2007… The 42 points were also the second most given up by Lehigh in a postseason game behind the 47 allowed to Delaware in 2000.

Lehigh tops Northern Iowa in FCS Playoffs

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -  For the third straight week Lehigh found itself down at halftime, and once again the Mountain Hawks delivered a superb second half performance to come away with a victory. The No. 18/19 Mountain Hawks scored 14 third quarter points and the defense took care of the rest in a 14-7 win over No. 16/16 Northern Iowa in front of 5,990 Saturday at UNI-Dome. With the win Lehigh improves its record to 10-2 and more importantly, the Mountain Hawks advance to the second round where they will face No. 3 Delaware.

 

Lehigh out-gained UNI (7-5) 336-251 on the day and limited the Panthers to just 188 yards rushing, nearly 30 yards below their season average. The Mountain Hawks intercepted UNI quarterback Tirrell Rennie three times and benefitted from three missed Panther field goals as Lehigh becomes the first Patriot League team to win an NCAA playoff game since Colgate in 2003.

“I’m obviously thrilled with the effort our football team put forth through four quarters,” said head coach Andy Coen. “I can’t say enough about how our defense played and swarmed to the football [with] relentless pressure on the quarterback. They did a great job of bottling up an explosive offense all day.

 

“I thought our special teams were very important [as well],” he continued. “We had a stretch when we weren’t moving the football. We kept getting the ball around midfield and our punter Alex Smith did a great job of keeping them to a long field. The blocked field goal was also huge and took momentum away.”

In a game of mistakes, Lehigh made the first one on its second drive of the game as junior quarterback Chris Lum was intercepted by Craig James at midfield. UNI moved the ball 50 yards in nine plays, and Rennie gave the Panthers the lead when he scrambled left and tiptoed down the near sideline for a 17-yard touchdown.

 

From there both defenses took over as there was no more scoring in the first half. Midway through the second period, Lehigh moved into UNI territory courtesy of a 31-yard hookup between Lum and senior Craig Zurn on third down, but senior Tom Randazza missed a 41-yard field goal. Lehigh’s defense came up with a pair of interceptions late in the first half, the first by senior John Veniero and the second by senior Casey Eldemire, as the Mountain Hawks trailed by just seven at halftime.

 

Through the first 30 minutes the teams were just about even with UNI holding a slim 118-115 advantage in yards. Lum was 10-of-21 for 94 yards and an interception. He was also Lehigh’s leading rusher with 23 yards on five carries. Sophomore Ryan Spadola was the top receiver with four grabs for 33 yards.

 

For Northern Iowa, Rennie was 5-of-10 for 60 yards and two interceptions. He also rushed 11 times for 31 yards.

 

The second half started dubiously for Lehigh as Lum and Spadola connected for 15 yards and a first down on third and ten but Spadola was stripped of the ball and Northern Iowa recovered at the Lehigh 36 yard line.

 

The Mountain Hawk defense clamped down after stopping UNI on three rushing plays and Lehigh remained down just 7-0 after Billy Hallgren missed a 44-yard field goal wide to the right.

 

With newfound momentum Lehigh needed just four plays to tie the game. On a first and ten from the Lehigh 38, Lum found junior Jake Drwal along the far sideline and after eluding a defender; Drwal sprinted towards the end zone to complete the 62-yard score. Randazza’s extra point tied the game at seven.

 

Late in the third quarter Rennie was picked off for the third time as senior John Kennedy stepped in front of a pass and returned it to the UNI 28. On the very next play, Lum hit Spadola on a skinny post for a 28-yard touchdown, which gave Lehigh the lead.

 

Aided by a Lehigh penalty, Northern Iowa put together a drive to answer the Mountain Hawks’ go-ahead score, but after settling for a field goal attempt, senior Jarard Cribbs raced off the edge to deflect the kick and give Lehigh possession.

 

Lehigh tried to run out the clock but when an eight-play drive stalled, the Mountain Hawks were forced to punt. UNI answered with a 12-play drive of its own as Rennie and Carlos Anderson found creases in the Lehigh defense. With three-and-a-half minutes remaining, Northern Iowa opted for a field goal attempt, which Hallgren pushed wide to the right.

 

The Mountain Hawks gave the Panthers one more opportunity as a second-down halfback option pass by senior Jay Campbell was ruled an interception for Jordan Smith. Rinnie was knocked out of the game after a two-yard run. Zach Davis came in and after a short pass on second down; he was sacked by junior Colin Newton for a loss of 12 on third down. Senior Al Pierce stopped Anderson for no-gain on fourth-and-18 to seal Lehigh’s first playoff win since 2001.

“The kids have a confidence; we’re a second half team,” said Coen. “We’ve done it all year. The third quarter was huge. The character of our football team, how the kids work and believe in each other and believe in what we’re doing [helps lead to the comebacks]. It gets rewarded when you all work hard, plays come to you and you capitalize.”

 

Lum finished 18-of-37 for 267 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Spadola was the top target with nine catches for 127 yards, while Drwal finished with three grabs for 80 yards. Campbell led Lehigh with 47 while Lum added 32. Pierce led Lehigh with 11 tackles, while Newton had ten tackles and 2.5 sacks.

 

Rennie finished 6-of-14 for 61 yards passing and gained 86 yards on 27 rushes. Anderson added 94 yards on the ground for the Panthers.

“This is a very good football team that we played,” said Coen. “We’ve had some very good wins this season and this is without a doubt the best, the best football team that we’ve beaten. They're champions of a conference that we have a tremendous amount of respect for. It’s great that we could come and represent the Patriot League and Lehigh University very well today. I’m very proud of our team and everybody associated with our program.”

 

The Mountain Hawks will now travel to Newark, Delaware to face the No. 3 national seed Fightin’ Blue Hens next Saturday at noon. Tickets can be purchased through Lehigh beginning Monday at 10 a.m. by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by visiting the Lehigh ticket office, located in Grace Hall.

 

EXTRA POINTS… Saturday’s game was just the second indoor game in Lehigh football history… Lehigh lost 77-14 at Idaho in the next-to-last game of the 1993 season… The Mountain Hawks reached the ten-win mark for the first time since the 2001 squad finished 11-1… Lehigh is now 2-0 against members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference… The Mountain Hawks beat Western Illinois 37-7 in the 2000 playoffs and went on to face Delaware the following week… UNI lost at home in the playoffs for just the fifth time in 19 games at UNI-Dome… Lehigh’s defense recorded four sacks, with Newton securing 2.5 and three other players credited with 0.5.

Lehigh Brown & White Game recap

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh football team wrapped up its spring season on Saturday at the annual Brown and White Game as the Mountain Hawks defense outlasted the offense 39-37 in a back-and-forth affair inside of Goodman Stadium.

The defense exacted revenge on the offense after falling in last year’s game as the D picked off four passes on the afternoon. Linebacker Troy Taylor led the Lehigh defense with six tackles, while four different players intercepted passes, including Jonathan Littlejohn who returned his to pay dirt.    
   
“It played out for the most part the way I thought it would with plenty of good competition on both sides of the ball,” Mountain Hawks head coach Andy Coen said afterwards. “The defense created turnovers, some of which were off of bad decisions by the quarterbacks, but we’ve been preaching to the defense all spring about taking the ball away and keeping it and today they were able to do that. 

“I thought offensively the flow went smooth with (Offensive Coordinator) Dave (Cecchini) calling the plays live for really the first time. A lot of positions are still up for grabs on both sides and now it’s up to the kids to work hard during the summer and come back to campus ready for football in August.”      

 All four quarterbacks on the Lehigh roster saw action on Saturday, including JB Clark who completed six-of-ten passes for 53 yards and one score.

“I thought overall there were some things that I could have done better and the offense as a whole could have improved on,” Clark said afterwards. “We still have a long way to go before September, a lot of work to get done, but it felt good to get out here today.  I think we had a good spring but there is definitely room for us to improve between now and the next time we get out here.”    
  
Also at quarterback Chris Lum completed 6-of-13 passes for 52 yards and a score, while Mike Colvin threw for 86 yards on five completions and Trace Cisneros totaled 14 yards through the air.    
   
The offense looked sharp on its first possession as it drove in for a touchdown, which came on a pretty Clark to Jake Drwal pass that covered 20 yards into the corner of the end zone. Clark completed every pass he attempted on the drive.

The Mountain Hawks defense then answered right back as Littlejohn stepped in front of Colvin’s first attempt, picked it off, and took it the distance for a touchdown. Colvin later redeemed himself as he connected with fullback Alex Petroff for a five-yard touchdown.    
   
The final offensive touchdown of the day came when Lum scrambled out of the pocket and found tight end Jamel Haggins for a score in the back of the end zone. Haggins finished with three receptions for 13 yards, while Preston Soeprasetyo led the team with 43 yards receiving. Drwal hauled in three passes for 40 yards and Craig Zurn (two), De’Vaughn Gordon (two), Ryan Spadola (two) and Jimmy Jefferson (two) each caught multiple passes.    
   
In the running game Lum led the Brown and White with 28 yards on four carries, while Jay Campbell rushed for 31 yards on five attempts and Zach Barket added 20 yards on six rushes.    
   
 The Lehigh defense picked off three more passes throughout the course of the day, including one each from Billy O’Brien, Gabe Johnson and Shane Ryan. Ryan’s interception proved to be the final play of the day and sealed the victory for the D. Earlier in the afternoon Ryan was honored with the Jim Gum Scholarship Award, which is presented in memory of former Lehigh football player James S. Gum ’84.    
  
Other Mountain Hawks who stood out on defense included Al Pierce with three tackles, Bryan Andrews with four stops, Tanner Rivas who had four tackles, including one-for-loss, and a sack, and Sajjad Chagani who totaled two tackles and a sack. In all, the Lehigh defense registered four sacks with one apiece from Rivas, Chagani, Andrew Knapp and Ben Flizack.    
   
Defensive back Jarard Cribbs offered his overall assessment of the defense. “In the first half we started slow. The offense was making plays and we needed to step up. We know one area that we need to improve in this season is getting off the field on third down, so that was our focus after halftime and we were able to be more successful with it.      
 
“From here we want to finish the school year out strong, focus on our academics, and get everyone healthy and then it’s time for summer training. We want as many guys back on campus immediately so we can get to work for the upcoming season.”    
   
Prior to the start of the game Al Pierce and Will Rackley were named captains of the program for the 2010 season.
       
Coen said that overall it was a productive spring for his team. “Our goal was to develop kids on both sides of the ball and we were able to do that for the most part. We know who our top six or seven offensive lineman are and we feel confident there.  think the quarterbacks have taken well to what Dave (Cecchini) has been teaching them as well. One area we need to keep getting better is in the kicking game. All spring we were able to put those guys in tough situations and that needs to continue. It’s only going to get them better.”    
   
Lehigh will open preseason camp in early August with the 2010 season opener slated for Saturday, September 4 versus Drake in Des Moines, Iowa. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 as well as Lehighsports.com.    

Lehigh falls to Princeton

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Sophomore quarterback Chris Lum led a valiant fourth-quarter comeback attempt, but it was not enough as Lehigh opened its four-game home stand with a 17-14 loss to Princeton Saturday in front of 8,168 on Kids Day at Goodman Stadium. The Mountain Hawks spotted the Tigers a 14-0 second quarter lead and a pair of interceptions from junior JB Clark led to ten Tiger points as Lehigh falls to 0-3 for the first time in 27 years. Princeton improves to 1-1 with the win.

Lehigh out-gained Princeton 332-163 and held the ball for over 36 minutes, but the Mountain Hawks turned the ball over twice and converted just one of four first downs on the afternoon.

Princeton received the opening kickoff, but was forced to punt. On Lehigh’s opening drive the Mountain Hawks moved into Tiger territory, but Clark was intercepted by Steve Cody, who raced 77 yards for a touchdown to put the visitors ahead.

Midway through the second quarter the Tigers extended their lead. After Lehigh was stopped on fourth down inside the Princeton 35-yard line, Tiger quarterback Tommy Wornham ran 68 yards around the right side to put Princeton up 14-0.

A strong return from junior John Kennedy on the ensuing kickoff set Lehigh up at the Princeton 44 yard line. Late in the half, the Mountain Hawks cut the deficit in half as Clark capped a five-minute drive with a seven yard touchdown pass to sophomore Jake Drwal as Lehigh went into the locker room down 14-7.

Clark finished the first half 11-of-16 for 85 yards passing, while junior Jay Campbell paced the ground game with 75 yards on 16 rushes. Drawl was Clark’s top receiving target, catching three passes for 30 yards.

The third quarter belonged to both defenses as neither team was able to muster much offense until late in the period. Clark’s second interception of the day set the Tigers up in Lehigh territory and after 11 plays, Ben Bologna kicked a 31 yard field goal to put Princeton up 17-7 after three quarters.

Lum replaced Clark early in the fourth quarter and led the Mountain Hawks down the field, but Lehigh again turned the ball over on downs on a mishandled handoff between Lum and sophomore Matt Fitz.

After forcing the Tigers to punt, Lehigh got the ball back and Lum moved the Mountain Hawks down the field 60 yards in just five plays and eventually moved Lehigh within a field goal when he pushed the pile for a five-yard touchdown run on a quarterback sneak.

Lehigh had one last chance with 2:28 to play, but after gaining one first down, Lum’s fourth-and-20 pass for sophomore De’Vaughn Gordon fell incomplete.

Lum finished with 135 yards on 11-of-18 passing in relief of Clark who was 12-of-22 for 89 yards. Drwal was Lehigh’s leading receiver with 58 yards on six catches, while Gordon added five grabs for 46 yards. Campbell led the rushing attack with a career-high 88 yards on 22 carries.

Senior co-captain Matt Cohen spearheaded the defensive effort with six tackles, including three tackles for loss, and two sacks.

Wornham threw for just 47 yards on 9-of-20 passing, but added 87 rushing yards on nine carries. Jordan Culbreath was limited to 28 yards on eight rushes. Cody led all players with 11 tackles and the interception, which accounted for Princeton’s first score.

The Mountain Hawks will return to the gridiron next Saturday when they host the Harvard Crimson. Kick-off is set for 12:30 and tickets can be purchased in one of three ways: by calling 610-7LU-GAME, by visiting the Lehigh Athletics Ticket Office, located in Grace Hall, or by logging onto Lehighsports.com.

EXTRA POINTS… Coaches from both teams took part in the fight against Duchenne Muscular Distrophy by wearing “Coach to Cure MD” armbands, all part of a charitable project from the American Football Coaches Association… three-year old Levi Hains served as an honorary captain for Lehigh… along with Saturday’s Kids Day activities, Lehigh University and St. Luke’s Hospital teamed up in support of the Reading Rocks! program, the culmination of a month-long drive to collect 5,000 books for disadvantaged children… Saturday’s game will be replayed Sunday at 10 a.m. on Service Electric 2 Sports and Thursday at 8 a.m. on Fox College Sports Atlantic.

Villanova players highlight FCS preseason All-American Team

A pair of Villanova players highlighted the 2009 Preseason College Sporting News FCS All-America Team released on Monday.

Offensive tackle Ben Ijalana and linebacker Osayi Osunde earned first team honors as did another pair of local players, Delaware defensive back Anthony Walters and Penn kicker Andrew Samson.

'Nova's jack of all trades, Matt Szczur, was a second-team selection on offense as an all-purpose player. Szczur also made the third team as a return specialist. Penn defensive back Chris Wynn and Delaware safety Charles Graves made the third team defense.

Five Villanova players earned honorable mention status, dual-threat quarterback Chris Whitney, running back Aaron Ball, center Brian Brannigan, offensive guard Jonathan Bugli and defensive end Tim Kukucka.

Delaware tight end Josh Baker, Bucknell wide receiver Shaun Pasternak, Lafayette guard Brian Wychinowski and kicker Davis Rodriguez, Penn guard Matt Schaefer and defensive tackle Joe Goniprow as well as Lehigh's Will Rackley (OT), B.J. Benning (DT) Matt Cohen (LB) and John Kennedy (DB) also earned honorable mention honors.

Another Lehigh player to UFL

The United Football League (UFL) announced today the signing of 19 players for its Las Vegas franchise including former Lehigh tight end Adam Bergen as well as former NFL quarterback Tim Rattay and linebackers Teddy Lehman and Brandon Moore. The complete list of players being announced today includes:

Pos. Player College

TE Bergen, Adam Lehigh
OG Boone, Jason Utah
DT Bryant, Wendell Wisconsin
LB Butler, Ezra Nevada
OG Davis, Frank South Florida
OT Joyce, Brandon Illinois State
WR Kircus, David Grand Valley State
NT Kolodziej, Ross Wisconsin
LB Lehman, Teddy Oklahoma
DT Long, Gabe Utah
LB Moore, Brandon Oklahoma
LB Palmer, Ronnie Arizona
QB Rattay, Tim Louisiana Tech
RB Thompson, Tyson San Jose State
WR Thurman, Andrae Arizona
DB Turnbull, Nick Florida International
LB Toal, Brian Boston College
RB Whitehead, Terrance Oregon
CB Williams, Chaz LA Monroe

The United Football League previously announced the signing of former NFL first-round draft pick JP Losman to the Las Vegas franchise. There will be more players for the Las Vegas franchise announced over the next few weeks.

“The players who have signed with the Las Vegas franchise thus far are a top-notch line-up of former NFL veterans and skilled players who have the experience to produce on the field,” said Las Vegas Head Coach Jim Fassel. “I am anxious to complete my roster and begin training camp in September.”

UFL New York club signs former Lehigh RB

The United Football League announced today the signing of 19 players for its New York franchise including former Lehigh running back Rich Alexis. Former NFL quarterback Quinn Gray and coach Ted Cottrell's on, T.J. Cottrell, were also inked. The complete list of players being announced today includes:

Pos. Player College

• RB Alexis, Rich Lehigh

• QB Bacher, CJ Northwestern

• K Barrett, Aaron New Mexico

• DB Bonner, Brian Texas Christian

• TE Cottrell, TJ Buffalo State

• DT Clebert, Richard South Florida

• TE Davis, Charles Purdue

• QB Gray, Quinn Florida A&M

• RB Gross, Tyronne Eastern Oregon

• WR Hoag, Ryan Gustavus Adolphus

• QB Johnson, Brian Utah

• LB Magro, Marc West Virginia

• CB Maze, Terrelle San Diego State

• OL Norell, Ray Buffalo

• RB Rubin, Joe Portland State

• WR Sanders, Steve Bowling Green

• RB Sapp, Cecil Colorado State

• LB Williams, Nathan Murray State

• RB Woods, Shannon Texas Tech

“In my inaugural season as head coach, it has been very exciting going through the player allocation process and utilizing a blank canvas to create a winning franchise,” said Ted Cottrell. “There are many talented players who are looking for another chance to shine and I am glad the UFL is providing that opportunity for both of us.

Four 'Nova players selected to Sports Network's FCS preseason All-American Team

Villanova, which advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2008, had four players selected to the annual Sports Network FCS preseason All-American Team, including First Team honorees in linebacker Osayi Osunde and offensive tackle Ben Ijalana. Third Team defensive end Tim Kukucka and Third Team offensive center Brian Brannigan.

Delaware's Charles Graves (Second Team free safety), Bucknell's Shaun Pasternak (Third Team wide receiver), Lehigh's Will Rackley (Third Team Offensive Tackle) and Penn's Chris Wynn (Second Team Cornerback) were also honored.

Lehigh – Lafayette sold out

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh and Lafayette Athletics Departments jointly announced Wednesday that all seats for their game on November 17 have been sold, and no more tickets are available for the 143rd meeting of the two schools.

The announcement marks the tenth straight year that the Lehigh – Lafayette football game at Goodman Stadium has been sold out in advance.

Lehigh officials indicated that a decision on grass bank seating cannot be made until game week due to weather considerations. Any grass bank tickets that may be allocated during game week will be allocated to Lehigh’s waiting list. To be placed on the wait list or for more information on the process for selling or allocating tickets for this game, please visit Lehighsports.com. As a reminder to Lehigh fans, the only way to guarantee tickets to this historic rivalry each year is to purchase season tickets.

Lehigh falls to Yale

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite a valiant defensive effort that kept a potent Yale offense well below its average in points scored, Lehigh fell by a score of 23-7 on Saturday afternoon in front of 14,052 in attendance at the Yale Bowl. Yale junior running back Mike McCleod rushed for a school-record 276 yards on the day as the No. 16 Bulldogs remain undefeated at 5-0 and Lehigh falls to 3-3 in 2007.

"I thought we fought hard today, but just had one too many mistakes." Lehigh head coach Andy Coen said afterwards. "Give Yale credit, they are a terrific football team with an outstanding running back in (Mike) McCleod, and when you're playing a team as good as they are you can't afford to have as many mistakes as we had today." Coen concluded, "I still think we are a good football team, I think the kids fought hard to the end today and there were certainly some positives to take away from this game."

Yale got the ball first and was marching down the field with its eyes set on the end zone, but McCleod coughed the ball up and sophomore linebacker Matt Cohen pounced on it, setting up the Lehigh offense deep in its own territory. McCleod had gone 353 straight carries without a fumble before that play. The Mountain Hawk offense was unable to capitalize however and was forced to punt the ball back to the Bulldogs.

Lehigh got the ball back on a Yale punt and put together a solid drive that spanned 58 yards on eight plays and ended on a one-yard keeper by senior quarterback Sedale Threatt to put the Mountain Hawks up 7-0 with 3:40 left on the first quarter clock. That score marked the first time this entire season that a Yale opponent was able to put any points on the board in the first quarter.

"We were feeling good after that score," senior captain John Reese said in the post-game press conference, "but we knew it was a 60-minute game and that there was a lot of football left to be played." He added, "Just like Coach (Coen) said, we can't afford to have those untimely mistakes when you're playing a football team as good as Yale."

As the second quarter began, Yale had the ball deep in Lehigh territory and it appeared as though the Bulldogs tied the game at seven on a rush from quarterback Matt Polhemus, but a holding penalty brought the ball back and Yale had to settle for a 20-yard field goal from Alan Kimball, which made the score 7-3 with 13:30 left in the opening half.

Yale took its first lead of the game on a 16-yard touchdown run by McCleod at the 6:33 mark of the second quarter, which is how the score remained when the teams retired for halftime. The Mountain Hawks had a chance to put more points on the board late in the half, but a Threatt pass went off Mike Fitzgerald’s fingertips and was intercepted by Yale. The Lehigh “D” stood tall however, keeping Yale off the scoreboard in the final minute of first half action.

Yale gained 280yards of offense in the first half and held the ball for over 20 minutes, while Lehigh totaled 152 yards, including 117 through the air and just 35 on the ground. Threatt was 11-of-15 with junior Sekou Yansane serving as his favorite receiver as the Maryland native hauled in four first-half passes for a total of 33 yards. Freshmen Jaren Walker and Kwesi Kankam gained 23 and 20 yards, respectively, while junior linebacker Tim Diamond continued his outstanding defensive play for Lehigh with ten first-half stops.

McCleod rushed for 124 yards and the one score on 25 first half carries, while Polhemus was 9-of-17 through the air for 77 yards. John Sheffield was the Bulldogs leading receiver with four catches for 42 yards. Steve Santoro registered a team-high four tackles, as did teammate Casey Gerald.

On Yale’s first possession of the second half, McCleod showed why he is one of the country’s top running backs, as he ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run that put the Elis ahead 17-7 with 11:46 remaining in the third. The 55-yard run by McCleod was his season-long. Yale tacked on three more points when Kimball knocked through a 26-yard field goal to make it a 20-7 ballgame with 7:19 remaining on the third quarter clock.

The Mountain Hawks began the final quarter with the ball on the Yale 32-yard line, but a Threatt interception -- his third -- gave the ball back to the home team. The Bulldogs capitalized on the Lehigh turnover as Kimball booted his third field goal of the afternoon, this one coming from 38-yards out to make the score 23-7 with 7:39 left in the game.

Threatt finished 18-for-34 through the air, throwing for 183 yards and rushing for another 30. Walker led Lehigh on the ground, rushing for 32 yards.

Polhemus was 12-of-22 for 98 yards, while rushing for 57. The Bulldogs dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 40:42 on the day. As a team, Yale rushed for 421 yards – the most by a Lehigh opponent since Colgate ran for 484 in 1997.

Lehigh returns to action next Saturday when the Mountain Hawks take on the Holy Cross Crusaders at Goodman Stadium in the first of five straight Patriot League contests to close out the 2007 regular season. Kick-off is scheduled for just after 1:00 on Alumni Day and tickets can be purchased in one of three ways: by calling 610-7LU-GAME, by stopping by the Lehigh Athletics Ticket Office, located in Grace Hall, or by logging onto Lehighsports.com at anytime.

EXTRA POINTS … for the second consecutive season, the Yank Townsend Trophy was presented to the winner of the Lehigh – Yale game. Townsend was the only student from Connecticut to enter the Lehigh class of 1895, earning the nickname Yank. He operated his own firm, Norton & Townsend from 1911-1960, and designed a number of bank buildings and colonial residences … temperatures on Saturday were in the upper 50’s with blue skies and very little wind … Yale’s No. 16 national ranking in The Sports Network poll is the first time a Bulldog squad has been ranked in that poll … Saturday’s loss marks the first time since 1997 that Lehigh has lost back-to-back road games.

Lehigh's Kankam named Patriot League Rookie of the Week

-Courtesy of Lehigh University

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Freshman running back Kwesi Kankam was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week on Monday after making his Mountain Hawk debut over the weekend versus Villanova. The Ohio native rushed for 34 yards and one touchdown while adding 16 yards on two receptions. Kankam was one of seven Mountain Hawks on the day to catch at least two passes.

Kankam led all Mountain Hawk running backs in rushing on Saturday and scored his first collegiate touchdown in the fourth quarter on a one-yard plunge. Kankam came to Lehigh from Southview High School in Ohio where he garnered All-State, All-District and All-League accolades.

Villanova tops Lehigh

-Courtesy of Lehigh University

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Despite its best efforts at a second-half comeback, a 17-point second quarter deficit was too much for Lehigh to overcome, as the Mountain Hawks fell to Villanova 30-20 in front of 9,619 fans on Volunteer Day at Goodman Stadium. Senior quarterback Sedale Threatt threw a career-high 53 passes, and junior Sekou Yansane caught eight passes for 99 yards, but three turnovers doomed the Mountain Hawks, who drop their season opener for the second straight year.

Villanova received the opening kick-off but the Mountain Hawks defense forced the Wildcats to punt. The ensuing kick went off of a Lehigh player however, giving the ball right back to the visitors. Villanova took advantage of the miscues, scoring six plays later on a one-yard run by Matt Dicken to make the score 7-0. Lehigh came right back though, and got on the board when Jason Leo kicked a 29-yard field goal to make the score 7-3 at the 7:06 mark of the opening quarter.

The Wildcats answered Leo's field goal with a 12 play, 73 yard drive, that resulted in a 15 yard touchdown pass from Antwon Young to Michael Bradway, making the score 14-3 after one quarter.

A second Lehigh miscue allowed Villanova to increase its lead early in the second quarter. After Josh Pastore fumbled the ball away to Villanova, the Wildcats went for the long ball and on the very next play Young connected with Brandyn Harvey on a 60 yard scoring strike. The extra point failed, and Lehigh trailed 20-3. The Mountain Hawks did muster a six play drive late in the half, and Leo's second field goal of the half, a 34-yarder at the end of the half, made it 20-6 Villanova at the break.

Lehigh clawed back within a touchdown in the third quarter as Threatt connected with Yanasne on a 38-yard scoring strike to make it 20-13. The touchdown capped off a six play, 76 yard drive for the Brown and White.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Joe Marcoux kicked a 35 yard field goal to extend the Villanova lead back to 10, but the Mountain Hawks again marched down the field, this time covering 53 yard in 10 plays before freshman Kwesi Kankam plunged in from a yard out to make the score 23-20 Villanova with 10:47 to play.

It took just three plays for Villanova to answer Lehigh's score with another big play, as Young connected with wide receiver Phil Atkinson on a 47-yard catch and run, making the score 30-20.

Threatt finished 29-of-53 passing for 302 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He was also the leading ground-gainer with 58 yards on 12 rushes. In addition to Yansane's eight grabs, junior Mike Fitzgerald caught six balls for 47 yards, and classmate Nick Johnson added 4 receptions for 67 yards. Defensively, the Mountain Hawks recorded four sacks on the day, including 2.5 from junior Brian Jackson.

Young was 15-of-22 for 257 yards and three scores through the air for the Wildcats, who improve to 1-1 on the season. Dicken rushed 26 times for 95 yards and a touchdown for Villanova.

EXTRA POINTS - The last time Lehigh lost its opener in consecutive years was 1995 and 1996. the visiting team has won all three meetings in the Lehigh-Villanova series since it was revived in 2004.

Delaware ranked 13th in latest FCS coaches poll

FCS Coaches Poll (Sept 3, 2007)

1. Appalachian St. (28) 700 1 1-0
2. Montana 642 2 1-0
3. Massachusetts 627 3 1-0
4. North Dakota St. 608 4 0-0
5. New Hampshire 558 5 0-0
6. McNeese State 507 12 1-0
7. Northern Iowa 498 9 1-0
8. Youngstown St. 468 6 0-1
9. Furman 461 10 1-0
10. Southern Illinois 457 11 1-0
11. James Madison 451 7 0-1
12. Wofford 370 15 1-0
13. Delaware 326 21 1-0
14. Eastern Illinois 315 ` 17 1-0
15. Hampton 278 16 0-0
16. Sam Houston St. 203 23 1-0
17. Cal Poly 164 14 0-1
18. Illinois St. 163 8 0-1
19. Portland St. 143 13 0-1
20. Montana St. 140 22 0-1
21. Texas St. 139 NR 1-0
22. Tennessee-Martin 132 17 0-1
23. Western Illinois 120 NR 1-0
24. Yale 74 24 0-0
25. Nicholls St. 63 NR 1-0

Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota St. (51), Delaware St. (48), Alabama A&M (37), Liberty (33), Eastern Washington (28), Lafayette (25), Drake (21), Grambling St. (19), Northern Arizona (19), Princeton (19), Towson (19), Fordham (18), San Diego (16), Dartmouth (14), South Carolina St. (14), Maine (13), Richmond (13), Lehigh (12), Alabama St. (11), Missouri St. (11), Indiana St. (10), Villanova (9), Central Arkansas (8), Coastal Carolina (8), Northwestern St. (5), Elon (4), UC Davis (3), The Citadel (2), Harvard (1), Holy Cross (1), Pennsylvania (1).

Lehigh's Threatt named preseason Player of the Year in Patriot League

-Courtesy of Lehigh University

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With the start of the 2007 football season rapidly approaching, the Patriot League held its annual Media Day on Wednesday afternoon at Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem. Head coaches and select student-athletes from the seven league schools were in attendance to chat with media members and discuss the upcoming season. Head coach Andy Coen along with senior captains Sedale Threatt, who was named the 2007 Preseason Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, and Ernest Moore were Lehigh’s representatives.

“It’s always an exciting time of the year when camp is about to open,” explained Coen. “I know our guys have been working extremely hard during the summer months to prepare for the upcoming season and we can’t wait to hit the practice fields next week.”

Moore added his thoughts on the upcoming season. “I know I speak for everyone within our program that we are ready for practice to begin and for the season to get underway. Being a senior I know how special this time of year is and I’m really looking forward to it all beginning.”

Also on Wednesday, the Patriot League released its annual poll, which head coaches and sports information directors vote on. Lehigh received five first place votes and 62 total votes as the Mountain Hawks were selected to finish second. Lafayette was the top choice in the poll, as the Leopards garnered 63 votes, including six of the first place variety. Following the Leopards and Mountain Hawks was Colgate, Holy Cross, Bucknell, Fordham and Georgetown.

A First-Team All-League selection last season, Threatt led the Patriot League in passer efficiency at 144.66 and threw for over 2,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. On the ground, the two time captain totaled 310 rushing yards and a team-best eight scores. Along with Threatt, Colgate senior linebacker Mike Gallihugh was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Gallihugh led the Patriot League with 140 total tackles a year ago, good for an average of nearly 13 per game.

“It’s an honor to be named the preseason Player of the Year,” Threatt commented. “I would like to say thank you to everyone who voted for me, certainly there are plenty of worthy candidates throughout the league, so for me to be chosen is special.”

Lehigh, winner of eight Patriot League Championships, including a share of the 2006 title, looks to continue the winning tradition when the team opens its 2007 preseason camp next week. The Mountain Hawks will begin their season on Saturday, September 8 when they host Villanova at Goodman Stadium. Kick-off is set for just after 1:00 and tickets can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME, by visiting the Lehigh Athletics Ticket Office, located in Grace Hall, or by logging onto Lehighsports.com at anytime.

2007 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll

Team (# of First Place Votes)	Overall Votes
1. Lafayette (6)	63
2. LEHIGH (5)	62
3. Colgate (1)	52
4. Holy Cross (2)	50
5. Bucknell	51
6. Fordham	21
7. Georgetown	15

2007 Patriot League Preseason Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: Sedale Threatt, Sr., QB, Lehigh

Defensive Player of the Year: Mike Gallihugh, Sr., LB, Colgate

Lehigh and Delaware both ranked in FCS preseason 25

Defending national champion Appalachian State leads the way in the 2007 College Sporting News preseason NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision top 25. Meanwhile, a pair of local schools also made the cut. Lehigh is No. 21 and Delaware finished 25th.

Lafayette and Villanova also received votes but did not make the top 25.