Patriot League Release | CFPA Release | Beyond Sports Madness Release
 
Bronx, N.Y. (September 16, 2013) - Following its upset win at Temple University on Saturday, three Fordham University student-athletes were honored as junior quarterback Michael Nebrich (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock Secondary), linebacker Stephen Hodge (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) and junior kicker Michael Marando (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) were named the Patriot League Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively, it was announced by the league office.
 
Marando (PK), who was also named a National All-Star by the College Sporting News, Sam Ajala (WR), Carlton Koonce (RB) and DeAndre Slate (DL) were also honored by the College Football Performance Awards as honorable mention performers of the week while the offensive line of Thomas Fisher, Mason Halter, Garrick Mayweather, Joseph Mizera, Steven Tapia and tight end Dan Light was named the NCAA FCS offensive line of the week by Beyond Sports Madness and Marando and Slate were also named players of the week by the site.
 
In the 30-29 win over Fordham on Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, Fordham's first over an NCAA FBS opponent since 1954, Nebrich completed 23 of 36 passes for a career-high 320 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 29-yard scoring strike to Ajala with four seconds on the clock. On the scoring drive, he picked up two first downs on the ground, both coming on fourth down plays to keep the drive alive. He completed 4-of-7 passes on Fordham's game-winning drive to go with the key rushing plays.
 
Nebrich, who earned his second Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year honor in 2013, stands seventh in the country with 313.0 yards of total offense per game, and has led the 3-0 Rams to their best start since 1988. He has completed 66 of 96 passes for 777 yards and six touchdowns this fall.
 
Hodge led the Rams with a career-best eleven total tackles, nine solo, including one sack against Temple. He also recovered a fumble and had a pass breakup.
 
On the year, Hodge leads the team with 29 total tackles, 19 solo, with three tackles for loss and two sacks. He also has one fumble recovery, two pass breakups and one quarterback hurry.
 
Marando was perfect on all his kicking attempts this weekend, drilling three field goals and three extra points, including the game-winner following the Ajala touchdown catch. He made kicks of 44 and a career-high 47 yards in the first half as Fordham took a 13-7 lead at the break, and hit a 24-yard field goal to put the Rams in the lead, 23-21, in the fourth quarter. Marando also came through under pressure with the game-winning extra point with four seconds left, coming after a lengthy delay that included a Temple timeout and a review of Fordham's touchdown.
 
Marando stands 13th in the nation with 10.0 points per game. He is named Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week for the first time.
 
Koonce rushed 27 times for a season-best 168 yards and one touchdown on Saturday, bringing his season total to 341 yards on 63 carries with two scores. The 168 rushing yards at Temple last week brings his career total at Fordham to 2,162, seventh on the school's all-time list.
 
Ajala hauled in seven passes for a career-high 134 yards in the win over the Owls, including the game-winning 29-yard touchdown pass. On the year, he leads the Rams with 314 receiving yards on 18 catches with three touchdowns. He is third in the Patriot League in receiving yards/game (104.7) and fifth in receptions per game (6.0).
 
Slate had six solo stops at Temple, including two sacks. His second sack was on the final play of the game as the Owls had one last chance to win the game following the Fordham score.
 
The offensive line cleared the way for Koonce and protected Nebrich, allowing the Rams to amass 520 yards of total offense.
 
The Rams, ranked 21^st in the current Sports Network NCAA FCS poll, return to action on Saturday, September 21, as they host the Columbia University Lions on Jack Coffey Field at 1:00 p.m. as part of 2013 Homecoming. The game will also be the annual battle for the Liberty Cup.