Chase Edmonds Named Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Chase Edmonds Named Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
 
Four other Rams named to Preseason All-League Team; Rams picked to finish second
 
Bethlehem, Pa. – A day after being named a STATS NCAA FCS first team preseason All-American, Fordham junior running back Chase Edmonds was named the 2016 Patriot League preseason Offensive Player of the Year it was announced today at the Patriot League Football Media Day at Green Pond Country Club.
 
In addition, four other Rams, senior tight end Phazahn Odom, senior defensive back Jihaad Pretlow, junior linebacker Niko Thorpe and junior offensive lineman Anthony Coyle were also named to the preseason All-Patriot League team.
 
In team standings, the Rams were picked to place second, behind defending champions Colgate University in a vote by the Patriot League football head coaches and sports information directors.
The Raiders notched ten first-place votes from their opponents to finish with 70 points in the poll with the Rams earning three first place votes and 63 points. Holy Cross and Lehigh tied for third with 47 points each, followed by Bucknell (31), Lafayette (19) and Georgetown (17).
 
Edmonds, who was named a preseason All-American for the second straight year, is coming off another sensational season for the Rams as he rushed 251 times for 1,648 yards and 20 touchdowns while also catching 31 passes for 383 yards and five scores in 2015. He led the Patriot League and was third in the NCAA FCS in rushing yards and led the league and was fourth in the NCAA FCS in rushing yards/game (137.3) and rushing touchdowns. Edmonds led the league and was fourth in the NCAA FCS in all-purpose yards/game (184.18) and was second in the nation in scoring (12.5 points/game).

Against Lehigh on October 24, Edmonds set the Patriot League and school single game rushing record with 347 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 55 yards and a score in the game to bring his all-purpose yards total to 402, breaking his own Patriot League record of 385 all-purpose yards set in the 2014 NCAA Championship game at New Hampshire.

At the conclusion of the season, Edmonds, who finished fourth in the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year voting, was named a consensus All-American as well as the 2015 Patriot League and ECAC Offensive Player of the Year. 

Over his career, Edmonds has rushed for 3,486 yards and 43 touchdowns, both second best on the Fordham career lists.
 

Odom, a 2015 first team All-Patriot League selection who was named third team preseason All-America by STATS, enjoyed a solid first year as a starter in 2015, catching 37 passes for 492 yards (13.3 yards/catch) and seven touchdowns. The seven touchdowns receptions set a school record for a tight end, surpassing Dan Light and Stephen Skelton who each had six.
 
Over his career, Odom has 42 receptions for 548 yards and seven touchdowns.
 
Pretlow, who was named first team All-Patriot League in 2015 at defensive back and second team as a return specialist, was a third team 2016 STATS NCAA FCS preseason All-American. He was fourth on the squad last fall with 67 total tackles, 48 solo, including 3.0 for loss. He led the team and was third in the Patriot League, and 37th in the NCAA FCS, with 12 passes defended and he also had two interceptions and one fumble recovery.
 
As a kickoff returner, Pretlow had 33 returns for 864 yards (26.2 yards/return) with one touchdown, an 87-yarder versus Holy Cross. He led the Patriot League and was 18th in the NCAA FCS in kickoff return average.

Pretlow was named preseason All-Patriot League at both defensive back and return specialist.
 
Thorpe, a second team All-Patriot League pick last fall, started all 12 games at middle linebacker as a sophomore for the Rams. He recorded 78 total tackles, 50 solo, third best on team, and led team with 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Thorpe also had six quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He ranked seventh in the Patriot League in sacks/game and ninth in the league in TFL/game.
 
Coyle, a second team All-League selection last fall, started all 12 games at left tackle as a sophomore. He helped the Fordham offense lead the Patriot League and rank ninth in the NCAA FCS in scoring, averaging 36.8 points per game. The Rams also led the league and were second in the NCAA FCS in passing efficiency (168.30). The Fordham offense ranked second in the league and 20th in the NCAA FCS in passing yards/game (272.3), 21st in the NCAA FCS in first downs and third in the conference and 43rd in the NCAA FCS in rushing yards/game (180.9).
 
The Rams open the 2016 season on Saturday, September 3, as they travel to Annapolis to take on Navy at 12:00 p.m. in a game that will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network. Season tickets for 2016 are now available through the Fordham Ticket Office.