Jan. 8, 2008
Center Valley, Pa. - Five Patriot League football student-athletes received Football Championship Subdivision All-America recognition from The Sports Network this week, with Fordham senior punter Benjamin Dato earning a first-team selection.
Colgate had three selections to the squad, with senior linebacker Mike Gallihugh garnering second-team status and junior running back Jordan Scott and senior defensive lineman Pat Nolan making the third team. Lehigh junior defensive lineman Brian Jackson received a second-team selection. All five players were First-Team All-Patriot League selections in 2007.
Dato finished his career with the best punting average in Patriot League history at 44.63 yards per punt. He had the second-best year in League history with a 44.66 average in 2007, punting 67 times for 2,992 yards and pacing Fordham to the No. 1 mark in net punting nationally. He receives his second All-America selection for the season after previously receiving second-team honors from the Associated Press.
Gallihugh earns his third All-America nod of the year after prior selections as a Second-Team AP All-American and member on the College Sporting News Fabulous 50 team. He was a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS, throughout the season. Gallihugh recorded 123 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three interceptions in 2007.
Jackson joined Gallihugh on the second team after ranking second on the Mountain Hawks with 63 total tackles, including nine for loss and a team-leading 5.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles.
A finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to the most outstanding player in the FCS, Scott was the nation's leading rusher and set a Patriot League record with 170.45 yards per game. He carried 409 times for 1,875 yards and 20 touchdowns. His overall rushing total was the second-highest single season mark in Patriot League history, and he is currently fifth in League annals with 4,473 career rushing yards.
Nolan led the Patriot League in quarterback sacks with 6.5 and was fourth in tackles for loss with 12. Overall, he was credited with 47 tackles including 23 solo efforts. In addition, he had two fumbles forced and one fumble recovery.
Patriot Leaguers who received honorable mention status include: Holy Cross quarterback Dominic Randolph, wide receiver Ryan Maher, and defensive back Casey Gough; Lafayette offensive linemen Greg Lippert and Jesse Padilla, defensive lineman Kyle Sprenkle, linebacker Andy Romans and punt returner Shaun Adair; Lehigh center John Reese, defensive lineman Kyle Adams, linebacker Tim Diamond and punter Jason Leo; Colgate offensive lineman Steve Jonas; and Fordham linebacker Earl Hudnell.
The Patriot League received five selections to TSN's All-America team for the first time since 2004. With all four major organizations (TSN, AP, AFCA, Walter Camp) having released their 2007 All-America lists, the Patriot League concludes the season with seven different players receiving at least one nod. That is the highest total of individual All-Americans since nine players received honors in 2003. Dato, Gallihugh and Padilla (AP, AFCA) all received multiple All-America honors, and Maher (AFCA) rounds out the Patriot League honorees. The 10 total selections to the four major lists mark the most for the League since 2004.
