Lehigh University Athletics
Football program reflects on 2009 season
2/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - This year’s end of the year football banquet was held Saturday, February 13 at Lehigh’s Iacocca Hall on the Mountain Top Campus. This year, 13 football stars were presented with awards for their outstanding participation in the 2009 season by the team’s coaches.
Senior linebacker Matt Cohen stole the show taking away three awards that night. He was awarded the Outstanding Athlete award, the Best Linebacker award and the Archibald Johnston Cup for the Most Outstanding Player. Cohen hails from Allentown, Pa., and is a Finance major. This past season Cohen racked up awards from the Patriot League as well. He was the 2009 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year—the first for Lehigh since Abdul Bryon in 2001. He also was named to the First-Team All-League for the second year in a row, after being named to the Second-Team in 2007. The captain led the P.L. in sack (9.0) and tackles-for-loss (13.5) in 2009. Cohen finished his season with an impressive 63 tackles, with a season’s best of 10 vs. Central Connecticut State. He ended his career with 177 tackles, 18.5 sacks and 44 tackles-for-loss.
Fellow senior captain BJ Benning also received mutliple awards the night of the banquet. Benning was awarded the Alexander G. Hahalis Award for the outstanding lineman, in addition to the Best Defensive Lineman award. The Maryland native was ranked second in the P.L. in sacks with 7.5 and eighth in the P.L. with 9.0 tackles-for-loss. This past season was his second consecutive year being selected as a First-Team All-League selection. Benning had a career best 12 tackles during the season opener against Central Connecticut State, and he ended his career with 111 tackles, 17.5 tackles-for-loss and 14.5 sacks.
Senior fullback Anthony Fossati won the Department Coaches Award and the All Football award, which is also known as the James P. McConologue award. This Finance major was named First-Team All-Patriot League for the first time in his career in the 2009 season. He also scored his first career touchdown against rival Lafayette College this past season and has aspirations to play professional football.
Offensive lineman Will Rackley received the Best Offensive Lineman award this year. Rackley has been named to the First-Team All-league the past two years. He has also started almost every game the last three seasons. Rackley was on the 2009 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll with a GPA of 3.83 in the fall semester.
Junior Jarard Cribbs was awarded the Best Defensive Back Award. Cribbs was named Second-Team in 2008 and received a selection to the First-Team All-League this past season. During the 2009 season, Cribbs had 45 tackles and six games where he had five or more tackles. He returned 38 punts for 311 yards, with a season long of 60 yards against Fordham. Following his performance in that game Cribbs was named the Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week.
Mechanical Engineering major Jay Campbell received the award for Best Offensive Back. Campbell led Lehigh in rushing during the 2009 season with 659 yard on 139 carries. He averaged 4.7 yards per game, and hit the 100-yard mark three times in 2009, including a career best 155 yard performance against Fordham. The running back averaged 97.4 yards during league games.
Senior wide receiver Brien Ruyak received his well-deserved award for Department Scholar Athlete. This Bethlehem native was one of Lehigh’s 20 2009 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll students with a GPA of 3.67 during the fall. As a double major in accounting and finance, he was also placed onto the 2009 Fall Dean’s List for Lehigh. During Ruyak’s junior year he made eight catches for 95 yards and scored one touchdown.
Sophomore wide receiver Jake Drwal was awarded the Best Receiver award that night. During the 2009 season, Drwal led Lehigh in receiving with 641 yards. The finance major also scored four touchdowns last season, and averaged 13.6 yards in 2009.
Sophomore Mike Groome received the Special Teams award. Groome played all 11 games last season. He made 13 tackles in 2009, and was another player on the 2009 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
The Nick Timko Awards (Engineer Effort Award) went to Marcus Dormevil and Anthony Verderame.
Dormevil received the Scout Team Offense award. He was on the 2009 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and was a walk-on this past season. Verderme won the Scout Team Defense Award and is an engineering major.
Senior Frank Giacalone was awarded the Barry Fetterman Award, given to the player who best exemplifies loyalty, dedication and unselfishness. Giacalone is a member of Lehigh’s C.O.A.C.H program and is a materials and science engineering major.
The John C. Whitehead “Big LU” award, given to the player who shows the most leadership and performance, was awarded to senior Jesse Sanchez. Sanchez played in all 11 games this past season, and finished with 61 tackles.
Story written by Dari' Brooks '10
