Chase Edmonds and Mason Halter Named Associated Press All-Americans

2014 Associated Press NCAA FCS All-America Teams
 
Bronx, N.Y. (December 17, 2014) – Fordham University freshman running back Chase Edmonds and senior offensive lineman Mason Halter were both named to the 2014 Associated Press All-America Third Team it was announced today. The Rams have now had at least one player named to the Associated Press All-America team for four consecutive years.
 
Edmonds, who received the 2014 Jerry Rice Award as the top NCAA FCS freshman in the country on Monday, enjoyed a record-setting rookie season, carrying 294 for 1,838 yards and 23 touchdowns and returning 24 kickoffs for 514 yards (21.4 average). He set school marks for most rushing yards in a season (former record was 1,596 set by Carlton Koonce in 2012) and surpassed Kirwin Watson's former record of 20 rushing touchdowns set in 2003.
 
Edmonds, the 2014 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, led the Patriot League and is fourth in the NCAA in all-purpose yards per game (176.64) and he led the league and is seventh in the country in rushing yards per game (131.3). He also was tops in the Patriot League and is fifth in the NCAA FCS in scoring (10.3 ppg) and was first in the league and is second in the FCS in rushing touchdowns and third in the nation in total rushing yards.
 
Saving his best for last, Edmonds rushed 18 times for 208 yards and one touchdown in the second round NCAA FCS Championship game at New Hampshire while also returning seven kickoffs for 164 yards and catching two passes for 13 yards.  His 385 all-purpose yards were a Patriot League single-game record (previous was 370 set by Lehigh's Ronald Jean in 1999) and his 208 rushing yards and 164 kickoff return yards were the top marks for Patriot League player in an FCS playoff game. Edmonds also set an NCAA FCS Championship game record with a 91-yard touchdown run, surpassing the previous long of 90 yards set by Henry Fields of McNeese State in 1994.
 
On the year, Edmonds amassed 2,473 all-purpose yards, setting a Fordham and Patriot League single-season record (former league mark was 2,425 set by Colgate's Kenny Gamble in first League season in 1986 and the former school mark was 2,133 set by Javarus Dudley in 2003), while his school-record 1,838 rushing yards puts him fourth in the Patriot League single-season record book, and his school-record 23 rushing touchdowns ties him for second all-time in the conference. Edmonds also set a school record with 144 points scored this fall, bettering Kirwin Watson's 2003 mark of 126 points.
 
Halter, who also earned First Team All-Patriot League honors this year, has been a mainstay on the Fordham offensive line, serving as a three-year starter at left tackle. He was a big part of the success of the Fordham record-setting offense this year as the Rams set school marks for rushing yards with 2,353, shattering the former mark of 2,162 set last year, and scoring with 569 points, surpassing last year's record of 526. Included in the scoring total was a school-record 31 rushing touchdowns.
 
The Rams led the Patriot League in passing offense, total offense and scoring offense while on the national level the Rams are ranked fourth in passing offense (326.1 yards/game) in the NCAA FCS and rank among the top ten in scoring offense (40.6 points/game – fifth), team passing efficiency (156.23 – fourth), total offense (494.1 yards/game – seventh) and first downs (331 - seventh).
 
Fordham closed out the 2014 season with an 11-3 record, winning more than ten games and advancing to the second round of NCAA FCS Championship for the second straight year. The Rams captured their third Patriot League title this fall, finishing the conference slate with a perfect 6-0 mark.