Mike Nebrich and Chase Edmonds Receive Major Patriot League Awards

Patriot League Release
 
Bronx, N.Y. (November 25, 2014) – After going 10-2 overall this fall and wining the Patriot League title with a perfect 6-0 mark, the #9/12 Fordham University Rams received two major Patriot League postseason awards today with senior quarterback Mike Nebrich and freshman running back Chase Edmonds being named offensive player of the year and rookie of the year, respectively, in a vote among the league' head coaches. This is the second straight year that Nebrich has won offensive player of the year honors.
 
Additionally, Nebrich and Edmonds were joined by 13 teammates in earning First Team All-Patriot League honors while another five Rams received Second Team accolades.
 
Joining Nebrich and Edmonds in earning First Team honors are Sam Ajala (WR), Tebucky Jones, Jr. (WR), Dan Light (TE), Mason Halter (OL), Garrick Mayweather, Jr. (OL), Matt Stolte (OL), Brian Wetzel (RS), Brett Biestek (DL), DeAndre Slate (DL), Austin Hancock (LB), Jordan Chapman (DB), Ian Williams (DB) and Michael Marando (PK). Being placed on the Second Team are Brian Wetzel (WR), Joseph Mizera (OL), De'Nard Pinckney (LB), Jake Dixon (DB) and Joseph Pavlik (P).
 
Fordham found success on both sides of the ball, with the offense scoring 40 points or more in nine of the 12 games this fall, accumulating 506 points for the season, 20 points shy of the school record set last year.
 
Defensively, the Fordham defense ranks sixth in the NCAA FCS in passing yards allowed (151.6/game) and leads the Patriot League in team tackles for loss.
 
Nebrich, a preseason All-American, enjoyed another successful year as the Rams' signal caller, despite missing two games due to illness. He has completed 229-of-343 passes (66.8%) for 3,015 yards with 25 touchdowns. He ranks in the top ten nationally in passing efficiency (161.2 – third), passing yards per game (301.5 - fourth), completions per game (22.9 - seventh), passing touchdowns (25 – ninth) and completion percentage (66.8 – ninth).  
 
Nebrich has a 19-2 record as the starting quarterback over the past two years. He had a day for the books against Penn on October 11, completing 36 of 47 passes for a school record 566 yards and six touchdowns, tying a school mark. He broke his own school record of 524 passing yards, set last year against Holy Cross, while he tied the school record of six scoring passes in a game, set by Kevin Eakin against Rhode Island in 2003. His 556 passing yards is the most by an NCAA FCS quarterback this season.
 
Nebrich becomes Fordham's first two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year honoree and the second in school history.
 
Edmonds, a finalist for both the Jerry Rice and Walter Payton Awards, is having the most successful season in Fordham history for a running back. He has rushed 252 times for 1,539 yards (6.1 yards/carry) with 21 scores in 2014.  His 21 rushing touchdowns is a school record and he is 57 yards shy of the school single season rushing record.
 
Edmonds, who has earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors six times in 2014 and Offensive Player of the Week twice, is eighth in the NCAA FCS in all-purpose yardage, averaging 165.5 yards/game while also ranking third in rushing touchdowns (21), sixth in total rushing yards (1,539) and eighth in rushing yards/game (128.2).
 
Edmonds set a school freshman record with 231-yard rushing performance earlier this year against Rhode Island, scoring four touchdowns in the contest and earning Sports Network Rookie of the Week honors.  He broke the school freshman single game rushing record of Darren Wallace, who gained 198 yards against Brown in 1990. He also has already set the school single season rushing record and is looking to become the first Fordham rookie to amass 1,000 rushing yards in a season. His 1,322 rushing yards is the fifth best single season total in school history while his 18 rushing touchdowns is tied for second best.
 

Ajala, a consensus All-American in 2013, has caught 57 passes for 953 yards and three touchdowns this fall. He is third in the Patriot League and 21st in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards/game (86.6) and tied for fourth in the Patriot League and 49th in the NCAA FCS in receptions/game (5.2). Ajala is third on the Fordham career receiving yards list (2,911( and fifth on the Fordham career receiving touchdown list (19).
 
Jones, a second team All-Patriot League pick last fall, has 67 receptions for 999 yards, second on team, with a team-high ten touchdowns this year. He is second in Patriot League and 34th in the NCAA FCS in receptions per game (5.6), fourth in the Patriot League and 25th in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards/game (83.2) and tied for 13th in the NCAA FCS in receiving touchdowns (10).
 
Light, a preseason All-America and a 2012 and 2013 first team All-League selection, is one of the top tight ends in Fordham history. He has 43 receptions for 385 yards and six touchdowns this year. Light, who was named First Team Academic All-District recently, is fourth on the Fordham career reception list (177) and tenth on the career receiving yards list (1,594).
 
Halter, Mayweather and Stolte are mainstays on the Fordham offensive line. Halter is a three-year starter at left tackle while Mayweather is a two-year starter at left guard. Stolte has started every game this year at right guard. The trio has been a big part of the success of the Fordham offense this year, an offense that leads the NCAA FCS in passing offense (331.8 yards/game) and ranks among the top five in scoring offense (42./2 points/game – third), team passing efficiency (162.00 – third)  and total offense (506.4 yards/game – fifth).
 
Biestek, who was named Capital One Academic All-District two weeks ago and a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy® and was a first team selection last year, has been a mainstay on the defensive line for the Rams, recording 54 total tackles, 38 solo, including 18.0 for loss and 11.5 sacks, both team highs. He is second in the Patriot League and 21st in the NCAA FCS in tackles for loss/game (1.5) and third in the league and tenth in the NCAA FCS in sacks/game (0.96).
 
Slate, a three-year starter at tackle who earned second team honors last fall, has been a big part of the defense's success, making 67 total tackles, 38 solo, including 11.0 for loss and 5.5 sacks. He ranks second on the squad in tackles, 20^th in the Patriot League, and fifth in the league in sacks and sixth in tackles for loss.
 
Hancock, a three-year starter at linebacker who was a second team All-League pick last year, has 87 total tackles in 2014, 46 solo, including 3.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also has three pass breakups and a forced fumble.
 

Chapman, a three-year starter in the defensive backfield who garnered second team All-Patriot League accolades last year, is third on the team with 64 total tackles, 47 solo, including five for loss. He also has eight pass breakups, third best on the squad, and an interception.  
 
Williams, a four-year starter in the defensive backfield who earned second team All-League accolades in 2012 and first team honors last year, is fifth on the team with 59 total tackles, 41 solo, including one for loss. He leads the team with eleven pass breakups, fifth best in the Patriot League, and he also has picked off two passes this year.
 
Marando, who earns his second straight first team All-League honor, has connected on 16 of 21 field goal attempts and 58 of 60 PATs. He set the Fordham career field goals made record this year with his 42^nd last week at Army and is one shy of the Patriot League career mark. Marando has set the League record for career points by a kicker with 262, also a school record. He leads the Patriot League in scoring for a kicker (8.8) and is second overall, and 16th in the NCAA FCS, in scoring, and he also leads the League and tied for 13th in the NCAA FCS in field goals/game (1.33).
 
Wetzel, who was a second team return specialist last fall, has returned 23 punts for 262 yards, an average of 11.4 per return, with a long of 52. He leads Patriot League and 12th in the NCAA FCS in punt return average.
 
As a wide out, Wetzel has 78 receptions for 1047 yards, both team highs, and eight touchdowns. He leads the conference and 15th in the NCAA FCS in receptions/game (6.5) and is second in Patriot League and 20th in the FCS in receiving yards/game (87.2). Wetzel is second on the Fordham career receptions (275) and receiving yards lists (3,676) and second on the career touchdown receiving list (29).
 
Mizera, a two-year starter at center, has guided the offense to its success this year, an offense that leads the NCAA FCS in passing offense (331.8 yards/game) and ranks among the top five in scoring offense (42./2 points/game – third), team passing efficiency (162.00 – third)  and total offense (506.4 yards/game – fifth).
 
Pinckney, who moved into a starting spot at linebacker due to injuries this year, has 54 total tackles, 34 solo, including seven for loss and two sacks. He also has a team-high three interceptions, tied for ninth best in the Patriot League.
 
Dixon, a three-year starter at safety, has compiled 60 total tackles this year, 47 solo, including 3.5 for loss. He also has an interception and seven pass breakups, third best on the team.
 
Pavlik, a sophomore who was also named second team All-Patriot League last year, has punted 41 times for 1,624 yards in 2014, for an average of 39.6 yards/punt. He has placed 13 of his 41 punts inside the opponent's 20 with only two touchbacks and has five kicks of 50-plus yards. He is fourth in the Patriot League in punting average.
 
The Rams, ranked ninth in the Sports Network poll and 12^th in the NCAA FCS Coaches poll, return to action on Saturday, November 29, as they host the Sacred Heart University Pioneers in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division I Football Championship on Jack Coffey Field at 12:00 p.m.