Nov. 20, 2012
Patriot All-League Release | Patriot Academic All-League Release
Bronx, N.Y. -
Nine members of the Fordham University football squad were honored by the Patriot League today by being named to the 2012 All-Patriot League team in a vote of the league's head coaches. Earning First Team accolades were Patrick Murray (PK and P), Carlton Koonce (RB), Michael Martin (LB), Brian Wetzel (WR), Dan Light (TE), and Lloyd Morrison (OL). Being named to the Second Team were Chris Watkins (OL), Nick Womack (DL), Ian Williams (DB) and Wetzel (RS).
Murray, a senior, just completed one of the most successful seasons for a Fordham kicker, leading all of the NCAA in field goals with 25 and leading the Patriot League and ranking second in the NCAA in punting average (46.0). He set a new Fordham and Patriot League record with the 25 field goals, shattering the former mark of 18 set by Fordham's Matt Fordyce in 2002. The 25 three-pointers was just one shy of the NCAA FCS record of 26 set by set by Tony Zendejas from Nevada in 1982 and matched by Northern Iowa's Brian Mitchell in 1990.
Murray connected on four field goals of over 50 yards this year, the most 50-yarders of any NCAA Division I kicker. He booted a school-record 55-yarder at Cincinnati as well as connecting on a 52-yard field goal versus Lock Haven.
On the year, Murray converted 25 of his 30 field goal attempts and 30 of 31 PATs to amass 105 points, ranking third on the school's single season list and becoming the first Fordham kicker to score more than 100 points in a season. He also broke the Patriot League mark of 97 kick scoring points in a season set by Fordyce in 2002.
Over his career, Murray booted 38 field goals, sixth best all-time at Fordham.
As a punter, Murray averaged a school-record 46.0 yards/kick, with 18 of his 52 kicks traveling over 50 yards, including a season-best 65-yarder, while 14 of his punts were downed inside the opponent's 20. He closes out his career with 186 punts for 7,985 yards, an average of 42.9 yards/punt, the second best career punting average in Fordham history.
Koonce, a senior who has been granted a fifth year and will return next season, rushed 300 time for 1,596 yards, breaking the single season school rushing mark of 1,477 yards set by Kirwin Watson in 2003. He also led the Rams with 13 rushing touchdowns and was second on the team with 48 receptions for 313 yards and two scores.
Koonce is second in the Patriot League and fifth in the NCAA FCS in rushing yards/game (145.1) and had two 200-yard games in 2012, including a 250-yard contest at Columbia where he tied a Patriot League record with a 92-yard touchdown run. Koonce also leads the Patriot League and is sixth in the NCAA FCS in all-purpose yards/game, averaging 173.6/contest.
Martin, a senior, led the Fordham defense in tackles for the second straight year, finishing the year with 104 total stops, 64 solo, including nine for loss and four sacks. He is second in the Patriot League and 20th in the NCAA FCS in tackles/game (10.4) and is tied for the NCAA FCS lead in forced fumbles with seven on the season. Martin is also ninth in the league in tackles for loss and 13th sacks and he added four pass breakups and three quarterback hurries in 2012.
Over his four-year career, Martin compiled 311 total tackles, 182 solo, including 14 for loss and 10.5 sacks. He also has two interceptions and nine pass deflections.
Wetzel, a sophomore, led the Rams with 72 catches for 1,042 yards and seven touchdowns on the year. He ranks fourth on the Fordham single season reception list and fifth on the receiving yards list and becomes just the third Ram to accumulate more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season (Javarus Dudley did it three times and Jason Caldwell once). Wetzel leads the Patriot League and is 16th in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards/game (94.7) and is ranked third in the league, and 19th in the NCAA FCS in receptions/game (6.5).
On the year, Wetzel had seven 100-yard receiving games, including a career-best 187 yards on 14 catches in the season finale with Colgate. The 14 receptions tied the Fordham singe game record while the 187 receiving yards is the seventh most in a game in school history. He now has eight 100-yard receiving games in his career, tied for fourth best at Fordham.
On special teams, Wetzel returned 31 kickoffs for 713 yards (23.0 yards/return) and 15 punts for 82 yards (5.5 yards/return). He is second in the Patriot League, and 51st in the NCAA FCS, in kickoff return average and second in all-purpose yards, behind Koonce (167.3 yards/game).
Light, a sophomore, caught 45 passes for 388 yards on the season, ranking third on the team in receptions and fourth in receiving yards. He set career-highs this year in receptions and receiving yards with nine catches for 66 yards at Holy Cross.
Morrison, a senior, is a three-year starter on the Fordham offensive line, starting all eleven games at left guard for the Rams in 2012. He helped the Fordham offense average 435.7 yards/game, second best in the Patriot League and 18th best in the NCAA FCS while the Rams scored 31.2 ppg, second in the league and 32nd in the NCAA FCS. The Rams also had the second ranked passing offense in the Patriot League in 2012, averaging 279.6 yards/game, 18th best in the NCAA FCS.
Watkins, a senior, anchored the Fordham offensive line from his center position this fall. He helped the Fordham offense average 435.7 yards/game, second best in the Patriot League and 18th best in the NCAA FCS while the Rams scored 31.2 ppg, second in the league and 32nd in the NCAA FCS. The Rams also had the second ranked passing offense in the Patriot League in 2012, averaging 279.6 yards/game, 18th best in the NCAA FCS.
Womack, a senior, is a two-year starter who capped his career in 2012 with 28 tackles, 18 solo, including 5.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had two quarterback hurries. His top games this fall were a
four-stop game at Columbia, which included three solo tackles and one sack, and a four tackle game at Georgetown, where he also added a quarterback hurry.
Over his four-year career at Fordham, Womack recorded 100 total tackles, 69 solo, including 18.5 for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also had two interceptions, returning one 100-yards for a score against Columbia in 2011, and three pass deflections.
Williams, a junior, was second on the squad with 86 total tackles, including a team-high 69 solo, and two tackles for loss. He led the squad with five interceptions and he also had eleven pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He is third in the Patriot League and tied for eighth in the NCAA FCS in interceptions/game (0.45) and fourth in the Patriot League in passes defended/game (1.00) and 12th in tackles/game (7.8). Williams notched double figures in tackles three times in 2012, including a season-best 14 tackles, 12 solo, in the Lafayette.
Over his three-year career at Rose Hill, Williams has accumulated 140 total tackles, 110 solo, with two tackles for loss. He also has seven interceptions and 19 pass breakups.
Murray and Light were also named to the Patriot League All-Academic Team along with senior defensive back Brendan Melanophy. Murray has a 3.62 GPA in Finance while Light has a 3.58 GPA as a Business Administration major.
Melanophy, a senior and three-year starter with a 3.69 GPA in Finance, was seventh on the 2012 squad with 41 total tackles, 23 solo, with one quarterback hurry. He also intercepted two passes this fall, broke up five others and had seven pass deflections. His top game of the year occurred at Bucknell when he finished with a season-high eight tackles. He also made seven stops, three solo, and picked off a pass in the Georgetown game.
Over his career, Melanophy has compiled 166 total tackles, 111 solo, with six tackles for loss and one sack. He also has three interceptions and 15 career pass deflections.
Murray and Melanophy were also named Capital One Academic All-District last week and are now on the ballot for Capital One Academic All-America® honors.
The Rams closed out the 2012 season with a 6-5 record, after going 1-10 in 2011, one of the best turnarounds in the NCAA FCS this fall.
