Lehigh University Athletics
Three Mountain Hawks honored by Sports Network
1/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A trio of Lehigh seniors were named honorable mention selections to the 2008 Sports Network FCS All-America Team on Tuesday afternoon. Defensive lineman Brian Jackson, linebacker Tim Diamond and punter Jason Leo each earned a spot among the nation’s best for the second consecutive season. Last year Jackson earned Second-Team accolades from The Sports Network, while Diamond and Leo were both honorable mention selections. Lehigh’s three All-America choices were the most of any Patriot League institution.
A First-Team All-Patriot League selection, Jackson battled through injuries and constant double teams all season long, but still managed to record 49 tackles, including 10-for-loss and three-and-a-half-sacks. The New Jersey native began his senior season with seven tackles in a win over Drake, and saved his best for last, with a season-high eight tackles and career-best three-and-a-half sacks in Lehigh’s win over archrival Lafayette. Jackson wrapped up his career with 139 tackles, including 20-for-loss and nine sacks.
Diamond led the entire Patriot League with 104 total tackles in 2008, as he earned his second consecutive First-Team All-League selection. Diamond became the first Mountain Hawk since Ian Eason in 1996 and 1997 with back-to-back 100 tackle seasons in ’08 as he registered ten or more tackles in four games, including a season-best 15 in a win over Bucknell. A supply chain management major, Diamond earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors following his performance versus nationally ranked Villanova in September in which he totaled 14 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and an interception. Diamond finished his career in the Brown and White with 231 total tackles, 15-tackles-for-loss and 10 games of double-digit tackles.
One of the nation’s top punters, Leo became one of only ten student-athletes in Patriot League football history to earn All-League accolades in each of his four seasons. A Second-Team punter as a freshman, Leo earned First-Team and Special Teams Player of the Year honors following his sophomore year, Second-Team recognition as a junior, and First-Team All-League laurels this past season. Leo totaled 1,890 yards on 44 punts in 2008, good for a league leading 43.0 yard per punt average, which ranked seventh in the nation. 15 of Leo’s punts were downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, while 12 were fair caught. Leo booted a career-best 75-yard punt in a win over Bucknell in mid-November.
