(December 16, 2006) ?C Fordham University junior punter Benjamin Dato (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing) was named Third Team All-America by the Associated Press it was announced this week. Dato becomes the fourth Ram in the past five years to earn All-America football honors, joining Tad Kornegay (2004), Kirwin Watson (2002 and 2003) and Javarus Dudley (2003). Dato, who was named First Team All-Patriot League this fall, is one of three Patriot League student-athletes to earn Third Team All-America honors, joining Colgate??s Mike Gallihugh and Lafayette??s Mike Saint Germain. The trio??s selection marks the fifth-straight year that at least three Patriot League scholar-athletes have been named AP All-American. There have been 25 Patriot Leaguers named AP All-American since 2000 and 79 overall. A record 13 were selected in 1988. Dato, who took over the punting duties from 2005 First Team All-Patriot League selection Anthony DiFino, finished the 2006 season as the leading punter in the league, kicking 58 times for 2,587 yards, an average of 44.6 yards/punt. His 44.6 average is the second best single season average in Fordham history (All-American Barry Cantrell averaged 45.8 yards/punt in 1997) and he ranked third in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formally the NCAA I-AA) this fall. His long punt covered 66 yards in the Columbia game with four of his kicks traveling more than 60 yards. He did not have a punt blocked in 2006 while placing four inside the 20. Dato was named Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week in week nine after punting eight times for 396 yards, averaging 49.5 yards/punt, against Colgate.