Four Mountain Hawks earn All-America honors from Phil Steele
12/23/2011 2:37:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Four members of the Lehigh football program were recognized Thursday when Phil Steele announced its FCS All-America teams. Senior quarterback Chris Lum, junior wide receiver Ryan Spadola and senior center Jim Liebler were honored for the second time this week, while senior linebacker Mike Groome earned his first postseason All-America honor of 2011.
Lum and Spadola were named to the first team offense, while Liebler and Groome earned third team honors.
Lum earned his third All-America nod of the season, including his second second-team nod. Earlier this week Lum, a finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to the outstanding player in the FCS, was recognized by the Sports Network, earning either first or second team honors depending on the balloting, which will be announced after the FCS Awards Banquet on January 6. Lum set a school and Patriot League record 4,378 yards in 2011 and established a school record with 32 touchdown passes. The Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, Lum had nine games of 300 or more passing yards, including seven straight to open the season.Spadola was Lum's top target and one of the nation's top receivers in 2011. This is Spadola's fourth All-America honor of the season as he was named to the first team by the AFCA, Associated Press and Sports Network. Spadola set school and Patriot League single season records with 96 receptions for 1,614 yards. He caught 11 touchdown passes, and finished 98 receiving yards shy of the FCS single season record. Spadola had nine 100-yard receiving games in 2011 and had four games of double-digit receptions.
A three-year starter at center for the Mountain Hawks, Liebler netted his second third-team All-America honor of the season. Liebler started 12 of the Mountain Hawks' 13 games this season, and was a leader on a line that paved the way for Lehigh's offense that averaged close to 470 yards and 32.5 points per game. With Liebler in the middle of the offensive line, the Mountain Hawks allowed just 17 sacks in 13 games and ranked in the top five nationally in both total offense and passing offense.Groome becomes the first Lehigh defensive player to earn All-America honors in 2011. A fourth-team All-America selection by Phil Steele a year ago, Groome was a preseason All-American and the Patriot League's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. A first team All-League selection, Groome led the Mountain Hawks in tackles for the second straight year, registering 117 from his inside linebacker spot, including 50 solo stops. Groome finished his senior season with 1.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss and tied for the team lead with four interceptions.
A total of five Mountain Hawks have earned at least one All-America laurel this postseason; the four Phil Steele All-Americans plus senior tackle Troy McKenna, who was recognized as a third team AP All-American last week. The Mountain Hawks won their tenth Patriot League title in 2011 and advanced to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals for the first time in ten years, finishing with an 11-2 record.
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