Lehigh University Athletics
Mountain Hawks announce football class of 2016
2/8/2012 3:22:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh football program is rooted in tradition, one that includes both academic and athletic success. On the heels of Lehigh's tenth Patriot League football championship, and second straight NCAA FCS Playoff berth, head coach Andy Coen announced the signing of 22 student-athletes who will join the Mountain Hawks' football program in the fall, a group that will look to continue Lehigh's tradition of success.
“I am excited to announce the student-athletes who will comprise our class of 2016,” said Coen, who has been named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award in each of the last two seasons. “Despite getting a late start on recruiting due to our participation in the FCS quarterfinals, I believe we have recruited another outstanding class.
Coen continued, “We were very fortunate this year to be able to engage student-athletes and their parents during the recruiting process and state that at this point in time, Lehigh University provides the best combination of academics and football in the nation at the FCS level.”The class of 2016 features nine offensive players, 12 on the defensive side of the ball plus a kicker/punter. The offensive group is highlighted by a pair of running backs, a wide receiver, a tight end and five offensive linemen. On the defensive side, Lehigh has added three linemen, five linebackers and four defensive backs.
Six states are represented among the class, including eight players from Pennsylvania. Many of the eight incoming players from Pennsylvania hail from within 90 minutes of Lehigh's campus, including a pair of Lehigh Valley natives, in linebackers Matthew Laub from Parkland and Noah Robb from Allentown Central Catholic. As part of Lehigh's continued national recruiting effort, the Mountain Hawks also continued to bring in players from Florida as three members of the incoming class, wide receiver Derek Knott, defensive back Olivier Rigaud and linebacker Matt Verdon, hail from the Sunshine State.
“This class of 22 addresses every position and continues to solidify the depth in our program,” Coen said. “Winning allows you to keep players in the program and gives them an opportunity to continue to grow and develop as they progress through their college careers.”
The Mountain Hawks went 11-2 in 2011, capturing their second straight Patriot League crown. Lehigh defeated arch rival Lafayette for the fourth straight year, and after earning a first-round playoff bye, the Mountain Hawks defeated Towson 40-38 in a second round playoff contest, before bowing out in the quarterfinals against eventual national champion North Dakota State. Lehigh finished the season ranked in the top six in both national polls, and captured its eighth Lambert Cup, given to the top Eastern team in FCS football, while also being named the ECAC FCS Team of the Year.
In the classroom, Lehigh had 24 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selections, three student-athletes named to the Academic All-Patriot League team, two student-athletes named to CoSIDA Academic All-District teams and one member of the FCS ADA Academic All-Star team.
“This class will represent Lehigh University well on and off the field,” Coen explained. “This group is full of young men who love the game of football. They love to compete in everything they do and they truly understand what it means to be a part of a team. They are high character individuals that fit in very well with our current group on their official visits to campus.”
Lehigh still may also sign a few more players in the coming weeks. The Mountain Hawks will begin their spring practice segment on March 23, with the annual Brown and White Spring Game set for Saturday, April 21.
“I'm excited that this class has taken to our expectations of working together every day to win championships,” Coen said. “My staff and I speak very clearly about our vision for the program and these guys are on board 100 percent to do their part to help Lehigh football win Patriot League titles. We speak about how 'Tradition Never Graduates,' and these guys want to be a part of our great tradition.”
The complete list of recruits follows.
Donnyell Bourgeois, Jr. - LB; 6-2; 230; Hackensack, N.J./ Hackensack; Arts and Sciences
First team All-League selection…Gold Honor Roll student…member of American Legion Boys State New Jersey.
Dan Brown – RB; 5-10; 185; Chalfont, Pa./ Central Bucks South; Arts and Sciences
AAAA First team All-State selection… first team SEPA selection… Suburban One Sports Player of the Year… team captain… set school records with 45 total touchdowns and 38 rushing touchdowns… Honor Roll student.
Steven Camasta – OL, 6-2; 275; Hawley, Pa./Wallenpaupack; Arts and Sciences
2011 second team All-Region Offensive Lineman… team captain… 2010 LFC Division I All-Star, second team… also lettered in baseball, where he was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2011… member of National Honor Society.
Josh Chiasson – DL; 6-4; 255; Annapolis, Md./ St. Mary's; Engineering
First team All-County, All–State (small school) and All-MIAA performer… Baltimore Touchdown Club Super 22 selection… Baltimore Touchdown All-Star… National Football Foundation Scholar/Athlete… Member of National Honor Society… graduated summa and cum laude.
Austin Devine – K/P; 6-3; 195; Oradell, N.J./ Bergen Catholic; Business
2011 All-New Jersey football team...First team All-Big North selection…Second Honor Roll student…Member of Crusaders Mission Club.
Matt Ford – OL; 6-3; 265; Wall, N.J./ Wall; Business
First team All-Shore selection, All-Monmouth County, Second team All-Group 3, and two-time All-division performer…Wall Football Academic Award for GPA over 3.0…Two-year member of DECA-business club and Relay for Life…Volunteered at All-Shore football camp for two years.
Ryan James – OL; 6-3; 295; Piscataway, N.J./ Piscataway; Engineering
First team All-State Group 4, All-Division, All-County, All-Area, and All-Conference performer… Two-time state champion… Team captain… Member of National Honor Society and National Society of High School Scholars… Honor Roll member all four years of high school.
Grant Jamgochian – DL; 6-3; 230; Newtown Square, Pa./ The Haverford School; Arts and Sciences
All-Inter AC, All-Main Line, All-City and All-Delco performer…Selected as one of top 150 prospects in Pennsylvania…Received highest honors and honors academically.
DJ Kee – RB; 5-11; 185; Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur; Arts and Sciences
Two-time first team All-Conference selection… second team All-State as a senior… played in Maryland Crab Bowl… WBOC Athlete of the Week… Maryland High School Rivals Athlete of the Week… honor roll student… member of Minds in Motion, and Future Educators of America.
Derek Knott – WR; 5-9; 160; Orlando, Fla./ Colonial; Arts and Sciences
Invited to Senior Bowl as one of the top wide receivers in Florida… state qualifier in the long jump… member of National Honor Society… graduated in the top five percentile in his class with a 4.5 GPA.
Cody Kondas – LB; 6-2; 220; Westerville, Ohio/ Westerville Central; Business
First team All-Conference/All-District performer… Conference Player of the Year…Special Mention All-State/All-Metro performer…Scholar Athlete and Merit Roll academically…Member of Rugby Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Moral Captains.
LaQuan Lambert – DB; 6-1; 180; Chichester, Pa./ Chichester; Business
First team All-Delco and All Del-Val performer… team's Offensive MVP… Member of National Honors Society and Rho Kappa… Member of Student Council-Class 2nd Vice President… Member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA).
Matthew Laub – LB; 6'3; 215; Coplay, Pa./ Parkland; Business
Three-year letterman for football… earned team Defensive MVP honors as a freshman and senior…Four-year starter and letterman for lacrosse team… Member of Honor Roll, Principal's List, French Honor Society and Latin Honor Society… won Football Scholar-Athlete Award… Special Olympics volunteer and buddy… DARE program speaker at elementary schools.
Randall Lawson – DB; 5-11; 180; Clarksville, Md./ River Hill; Business
First team All-Howard County… second team All-Metro and All-State performer… team captain…Honor Roll member… member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA).
Tony Manganiello – OL/DL; 6-1; 255; Berkeley Heights, N.J./ Governor Livingston; Business
All-State third team, All-Group 2 first team, All-Area first team, All-Conference first team, and All-Union County first team performer… team captain for football and wrestling … lettered in three sports: football, wrestling and track and field (shot put)… Athletic Honor Society member… Member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Governor Livingston Republican Club, and Physics Club.
Terez Owens – OL; 6-2; 310; Bear, Del.; Red Lion Christian Academy; Business
All-Conference performer as a junior… Served as team captain sophomore and junior years… Honor Roll member all four years of high school… Relay for Life member.
Greg Palma – DL; 6-3; 240; Nutley, N.J./ Nutley; Business
First team All-Group and second team All-County performer… member of National Honor Society and Italian Honor Society.
Russhon Phillips – DB; 6-1; 170; Plymouth Meeting, PA/ Plymouth Whitemarsh; Biology
First team All-League performer… team MVP two years in a row… team captain… Member of National Honor Society… Honor Roll member all four years of high school.
Olivier Rigaud – DB; 6-0; 175; Hollywood, Fla./ Pembroke Pines Charter; Business
All-Area and All-Broward County performer… team Defensive MVP… honor roll student… Wendy's Heisman nominee… member of Get Right Club, mentor program, Jaguar Ambassador and Relay for Life.
Noah Robb – LB; 6-3, 195; Orefield, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic; Engineering
Second team All-State selection as a defensive back… first team All-Lehigh Valley Conference and first team All-Area selection… member of National Honor Society.
Chris Ruhl – TE; 6-4; 240; Huntingdon Valley, Pa./ Abington; Engineering
Second team All-League Suburban 1 National Tight End and Third team Defensive Linemen performer senior year… third team All-League Suburban 1 National Tight End performer junior year… graduated high school with a 4.53 GPA… ranked sixth in a class of over 600… enrolled in seven A.P. classes.
Mathew Verdon – LB; 6'5; 195; Orlando, Fla./ Timber Creek; Business
First team All-Central Florida, All-Metro, and second team All-State performer… team Defensive Player of the Year… team captain… member of Principal's Honor Roll all four years of high school…Member of Advanced Placement Program, Spanish National Honor Society, and Timber Creek Leadership Academy… Peer mentor.
Lehigh Football Class of 2016
|
Name
|
Pos.
|
Ht./Wt.
|
Hometown/High School
|
College
|
|
Donnyell Burgeous, Jr.
|
LB
|
6-2/230
|
Hackensack, N.J./Hackensack
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Dan Brown
|
RB
|
5-10/185
|
Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Steven Camasta
|
OL
|
6-2/275
|
Hawley, Pa./Wallenpaupack
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Josh Chiasson
|
DL
|
6-4/255
|
Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's
|
Engineering
|
|
Austin Devine
|
K/P
|
6-3/195
|
Oradell, N.J./Bergen Catholic
|
Business
|
|
Matt Ford
|
OL
|
6-3/265
|
Wall, N.J./Wall
|
Business
|
|
Ryan James
|
OL
|
6-3/295
|
Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway
|
Engineering
|
|
Grant Jamgochian
|
DL
|
6-3/230
|
Newtown Square, Pa./The Haverford School
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
DJ Kee
|
RB
|
5-11/185
|
Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Derek Knott
|
WR
|
5-9/160
|
Orlando, Fla./Colonial
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Cody Kondas
|
LB
|
6-2/220
|
Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central
|
Business
|
|
LaQuan Lambert
|
DB
|
6-1/180
|
Chichester, Pa./Chichester
|
Business
|
|
Matthew Laub
|
LB
|
6-3/215
|
Coplay, Pa./Parkland
|
Business
|
|
Randall Lawson
|
DB
|
5-11/180
|
Clarksville, Md./River Hill
|
Business
|
|
Tony Manganiello
|
OL
|
6-1/255
|
Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston
|
Business
|
|
Terez Owens
|
OL
|
6-2/310
|
Bear, Del./Red Lion Christian Academy
|
Business
|
|
Greg Palma
|
DL
|
6-3/240
|
Nutley, N.J./Nutley
|
Business
|
|
Russhon Phillips
|
DB
|
6-1/170
|
Conshohocken, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh
|
Arts and Sciences
|
|
Olivier Rigaud
|
DB
|
6-0/175
|
Hollywood, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter
|
Business
|
|
Noah Robb
|
LB
|
6-3/195
|
Orefield, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic
|
Engineering
|
|
Chris Ruhl
|
TE
|
6-4/240
|
Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Abington
|
Engineering
|
|
Matthew Verdon
|
LB
|
6-5/195
|
Orlando, Fla./Timber Creek
|
Business
|
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