Lehigh University Athletics
Eight named to All-Patriot League teams
9/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
After winning its fourth consecutive Patriot League championship title and earning a trip to the NCAA playoffs, Lehigh has landed eight players on the All-Patriot League teams for 2001 and has won three of the four major awards. Wide receiver Josh Snyder was named the League’s Offensive Player of the Year, strong safety Abdul Byron was named Defensive Player of the Year, and first year head coach Pete Lembo was named the Co-Coach of the Year with former Lehigh assistant and current Fordham head coach Dave Clawson.
Snyder had a career season that might have been a record-breaking one had he played the full 11-game season. Shortened by a cancelled game against Pennsylvania, he caught 74 passes for 1,224 yards and 12 touchdowns. The senior from New Tripoli, Pennsylvania, averaged 7.4 catches per game, 124.4 yards per game, and 1.2 touchdowns per game. He accounted for 31% of Lehigh’s total offense on the season and ranks third nationally in receiving yards per game and sixth nationally in receptions per game. Snyder joins three Lehigh players - Horace Hamm (’91), Brian Klingerman (’95), and Ronald Jean (’99) - who have received the Offensive Player of the Year award.
Byron, a finalist for the Buchanan Award as the Division I-AA Defensive Player of the Year, is the third Mountain Hawk to win the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year award in the past four years. Byron led the Mountain Hawks in tackles this season with 65. He recorded one interception, which he returned for a touchdown. Byron recorded seven tackles for loss on the season including one sack. He recovered one fumble and forced two. In addition to his defensive prowess, Byron is an explosive kick returner. He averaged 22.7 yards per return this season. He is the third Mountain Hawk in the past four years to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors, joining Nick Martucci (’98) and Ian Eason (’99).
In his first season as head coach of the Mountain Hawks, Pete Lembo has kept the strong tradition of Lehigh championship football alive. Lehigh recorded its second consecutive undefeated regular season and third in four years under Lembo this fall. His Mountain Hawks have the longest regular season winning streak in Division I at 23 games and have won 22 straight at Goodman Stadium. Lembo joins Kevin Higgins and Hank Small as Lehigh mentors who have been named Patriot League Coach of the Year.
Joining Snyder and Byron as First Team All-League selections were center Jeff Santacroce, quarterback Brant Hall, defensive lineman Theo Moss, and punter Jay Heibel. Defensive back Matt Salvaterra and place kicker Brian Kelley were named to the second team defense and offense respectively.
The only returning starter on the offensive line this season, Jeff Santacroce was both a leader and a role model for a young offensive line this season. The offensive line features four juniors including Santacroce, and one sophomore as the starters. Three freshmen and a sophomore are the backups.
This is the second year Hall has been named the first team quarterback. Despite missing two league games, Hall led the Patriot League in passing efficiency with a 167.2 rating with 1,684 yards passing and 16 touchdowns. His ability to elude defenders and break away from the pocket creates problems for opposing defenses. Hall rushed for 410 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Moss solidified the defensive line for Lehigh season this season. He recorded 38 tackles on the season and led the Patriot League in sacks with eight. Moss had 12 tackles for loss and recovered three fumbles and forced one.
Heibel returns to All-League status after a one-year hiatus. Heibel was a first team selection as a freshman and a second team selection as a sophomore. He averaged a league high 40.0 yards per punt this season and had a long punt of 71 yards. He landed 13 of his 40 punts inside the 20-yard line, while only three of his 40 punts resulted in touchbacks.
Salvaterra has been a three year starter for the Mountain Hawks and this is his first All-Patriot League honor. Salvaterra is a District 2 Verizon Academic All-American and finished third on the team in tackles with 51. He forced one fumble this season and blocked two kicks.
Kelley led the Patriot League in scoring this season with 80 points and was tied for the league lead in field goals with 12. He ranked eighth nationally averaging 1.2 field goals per game.
All Patriot League Teams
First Team Offense
OL | John Churchill | Senior | Bucknell |
OL | Ken Kubec | Senior | Colgate |
OL | Mark Manno | Senior | Forham |
OL | Chris Royle | Junior | Lafayette |
OL | Jeff Santacroce | Junior | Lehigh |
TE | John Frieser | Sophomore | Colgate |
WR | Javarus Dudley | Sophomore | Fordham |
WR | Josh Snyder | Senior | Lehigh |
RB | Nate Thomas | Junior | Colgate |
RB | Kirwin Watson | Sophomore | Fordham |
QB | Brant Hall | Senior | Lehigh |
PK | Brian Colsant | Senior | Fordham |
First Team Defense
DL | Joe Massey | Junior | Bucknell |
DL | Adam Lord | Junior | Bucknell |
DL | Tom Kuhn | Senior | Bucknell |
DL | Theo Moss | Junior | Lehigh |
LB | Mark Tallman | Senior | Bucknell |
LB | Ron Hampton | Senior | Colgate |
LB | David Dugan | Junior | Holy Cross |
DB | Reed Tunison | Senior | Bucknell |
DB | Ameer Riley | Junior | Colgate |
DB | Michael Blake | Senior | Holy Cross |
DB | Abdul Byron | Senior | Lehigh |
DB | Darnell Evans | Senior | Towson |
P | Jay Heibel | Senior | Lehigh |
Second Team Offense
OL | Carson Brook | Senior | Bucknell |
OL | Matt Shepard | Junior | Colgate |
OL | Maurice Briscoe | Senior | Fordham |
OL | Jefferson Exil | Senior | Holy Cross |
OL | Kevin Moss | Sophomore | Lafayette |
TE | Greg Readinger | Senior | Bucknell |
TE | Stewart Kupfer | Senior | Lafayette |
WR | Jim Horan | Junior | Bucknell |
WR | David Thompson | Senior | Holy Cross |
RB | Jabu Powell | Senior | Bucknell |
RB | Noah Reed | Senior | Towson |
QB | Mark Carney | Senior | Fordham |
PK | Brian Kelley | Junior | Lehigh |
Second Team Defense
DL | Mike Latek | Sophomore | Colgate |
DL | Charlie Mull | Senior | Fordham |
DL | Sammy Siaki | Senior | Holy Cross |
DL | Juston Yelverton | Junior | Towson |
LB | Tony Downs | Senior | Fordham |
LB | Rusty McKinney | Senior | Towson |
LB | Sean Hendricks | Senior | Towson |
DB | Max Wynn | Junior | Colgate |
DB | Vernell Shaw | Senior | Holy Cross |
DB | Matt Salvaterra | Junior | Lehigh |
P | Steve Balcavage | Sophomore | Towson |
Offensive Player of the Year: Josh Snyder, Sr., WR, Lehigh
Defensive Player of the Year: Abdul Byron, Sr., DB, Lehigh
Rookie of the Year: Joe McCourt, Fr., RB, Lafayette
Co-Coaches of the Year: Dave Clawson, Fordham and Pete Lembo, Lehigh
