Mason Halter, Chase Edmonds and Brian Wetzel Named Sports Network NCAA FCS All-Americans

2014 Sports Network NCAA FCS All-America Team | 2014 ECAC NCAA FCS All-Star Team
 
Bronx, N.Y. (December 23, 2014) – The Sports Network announced it 2014 NCAA FCS All-America team today and three Rams were placed on the list with senior offensive lineman Mason Halter being named first team and freshman running back Chase Edmonds and senior wide receiver Brian Wetzel being named to the second team. The Rams led all Patriot League schools with three Sports Network All-Americans and were tied for third in the nation for most selections.
 
The ECAC also announced its postseason awards on Monday with Edmonds being named the ECAC NCAA FCS Rookie of the Year while Halter, defensive lineman Brett Biestek and senior wide receiver Tebucky Jones, Jr. joined Edmonds in earning ECAC All-Star honors.
 
Halter, who also earned second team Beyond Sports Network and third team Associated Press All-America as well as first team All-Patriot League honors this year, was 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).
 
Edmonds, who received the 2014 Jerry Rice Award as the top NCAA FCS freshman in the country, 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.
 
Wetzel, a first team All-Patriot League selection at return specialist and a second team selection as a receiver, had 89 receptions for 1247 yards, both team highs, and eleven touchdowns. He led the conference and is 17th in the NCAA FCS in receptions/game (6.4) and led the league and is seventh in the nation in total receiving yards. He was also second in Patriot League and 17th in the FCS in receiving yards/game (89.1) and second in the league and 13^th in the FCS in receiving touchdowns.
 
Wetzel, who is just the second Rams to have three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, closed out his career in second place on the Fordham career receptions (286) and receiving yards lists (3,876) and on the career touchdown receiving list (32).
 
Wetzel also returned 27 punts for 282 yards, an average of 10.4 per return, with a long of 52. He led the Patriot League and is 16th in the NCAA FCS in punt return average.
 

Biestek, who was named Capital One Academic First Team Academic All-America® for the second straight year as well as first team All-Patriot League, was 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 was second in the Patriot League and 35^th in the NCAA FCS in tackles for loss/game (1.4) and third in the league and 16^th in the NCAA FCS in sacks/game (0.88).
 
Biestek finished his Fordham career with 140 career tackles, including38 for loss and 19.5 sacks.
 
Jones, a first team All-Patriot League pick in 2014, had 78 receptions for 1,202 yards, both second on team, with a team-high 12 touchdowns this year. He was second in Patriot League and 37^th in the NCAA FCS in receptions per game (5.6), third in the Patriot League and 22^nd in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards/game (85.9) and tied for tenth in the NCAA FCS in receiving touchdowns (12).
 
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.