Edmonds, Ewell are Patriot's top award winners

(STATS) - Big things were expected of Chase Edmonds after he won the Jerry Rice Award as the FCS' top freshman in 2014.

The Fordham running back certainly did not disappoint in his sophomore season.

Edmonds was named the Patriot League's Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday and also earned first-team all-Patriot honors after running for 1,643 yards - third-most in the FCS - while tying for second with 20 touchdowns and ranking fourth with 2,026 all-purpose yards.

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound back had his best game against Lehigh on Oct. 24, setting a Patriot League record and matching an FCS season best with 347 rushing yards while scoring four touchdowns to lead the Rams to a 59-42 victory.

Edmonds has rushed for 3,481 yards and 43 touchdowns so far in his career, which are already second on the school's all-time lists. He doesn't have too far to go to pass Kirwin Watson, who amassed 4,617 yards and 48 TDs from 2001-04.

First and foremost on Edmonds' mind, however, will be Saturday's playoff game at seventh-ranked and Southern Conference champion Chattanooga after No. 14 Fordham earned an at-large bid to the postseason.

Taking home defensive honors was Bucknell senior defensive back Clayton Ewell, who helped the Bison lead the league with 18.7 points and 338.7 yards allowed per game. Ewell had 66 tackles, including 11 for loss, to go with three sacks, a forced fumble and six pass break-ups. He gives Bucknell its second straight Defensive Player award after linebacker Evan Byers won last season.

Lehigh running back Dom Bragalone was named the league's top rookie after becoming the school's first freshman to run for 1,000 yards. He carried 179 times for 1,008 yards and seven touchdowns and also caught 14 passes for 254 yards and a score.

Despite going 7-4 overall, Colgate claimed it first playoff berth since 2012 by winning the Patriot title with a 6-0 record in league play, and the flawless run through the conference helped Dan Hunt earn Coach of the Year honors.

Hunt, a longtime assistant under former coach Dick Biddle, led the Raiders to their eighth title and fifth unbeaten league record in just his second season.

With a Patriot-best 12 all-league selections, Hunt will lead his team in a road playoff matchup Saturday against CAA program New Hampshire. Colgate has already faced the Wildcats this season, losing 26-8 at home Sept. 12.

This marked the first time since 2006 that the winner of the league's four major awards all came from different schools.

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Patriot League first-team selections=

Offense: Holy Cross QB Peter Pujals, Lehigh RB Dom Bragalone, Fordham RB Chase Edmonds, Lafayette FB Dan Dellovade, Holy Cross WR Brendan Flaherty, Holy Cross WR/RS Kalif Raymond, Lehigh WR Troy Pelletier, Colgate TE John Quazza, Colgate OL Jordi Dalmau, Bucknell OL Julie'n Davenport, Lehigh OL Matt Ford, Fordham OL Garrick Mayweather, Colgate OL John Weber and Fordham PK Makay Redd.

Defense: Colgate DL Pat Afriyie, Bucknell DL Abdullah Anderson, Holy Cross DL Dewayne Cameron, Bucknell DL Ben Schumacher, Lehigh LB Colton Caslow, Colgate LB Kyle Diener, Fordham LB Stephen Hodge, Georgetown LB Matt Satchell, Bucknell DB Clayton Ewell, Fordham DB Jihaad Pretlow, Lehigh DB Olivier Rigaud, Lafayette DB Matt Smalley and Bucknell P Alex Pechin.