Four Mountain Hawks named to All-Patriot League teams
11/20/2018 10:57:00 AM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Four members of the Lehigh football program garnered All-Patriot League recognition as the league announced its postseason honors on Tuesday. Senior running back Dominick Bragalone became the 16th Patriot League football player to become a four-time all-league selection and just the third to earn first team honors in all four seasons. Bragalone is joined on the first team by sophomore wide receiver Jorge Portorreal, while senior defensive back Sam McCloskey and senior punter Ed Mish were second team selections.
The All-Patriot League teams and major awards were voted on by the league's head coaches. Mish garnered all-league recognition for the third consecutive season, while Portorreal and McCloskey were both first time honorees.
Bragalone's 2018 season was highlighted by records set both early and late in the campaign. In 10 games, the 2017 consensus All-American rushed for 757 yards and seven touchdowns. Bragalone opened the season by rushing for 137 yards and three touchdowns against Saint Francis, becoming Lehigh's all-time leading rusher in the process. He set Lehigh's career rushing touchdown record with his 43rd in a 177-yard effort in a Nov. 3 win over Bucknell, and capped his career by earning game MVP honors in Saturday's 154th Lehigh-Lafayette game after rushing for 95 yards and three touchdowns and breaking Lehigh's career records for total touchdowns and scoring.
The first Lehigh runner to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Bragalone finishes his Mountain Hawk career with 4,324 yards and 46 touchdowns, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He also set new school records with 52 total touchdowns and 312 points scored.
Bragalone is Lehigh's fourth four-time All-Patriot League selection, joining linebacker Ian Eason '00, kicker/punter Jason Leo '09 and wide receiver Troy Pelletier '18. He joins Holy Cross defensive back Dave Murphy (1986-89) and Colgate quarterback Ryan Vena (1996-99) as four-time first-team selections.
Portorreal captured his first all-league honor after leading the Mountain Hawks with 55 receptions for 794 yards and three touchdowns. He teamed with senior quarterback Brad Mayes for Lehigh's longest play of the season, an 85-yard catch and run at Georgetown on Oct. 20. Portorreal was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week following a nine-catch, 216-yard, two touchdown effort in Lehigh's 45-17 win over Bucknell on Nov. 3. The 216 yards matched the sixth-highest single game total in school annals.
McCloskey came back from a season-ending injury in 2017 to start 10 games at strong safety, while serving as one of Lehigh's team captains. He finished second on the Mountain Hawks with 77 tackles and added four tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. McCloskey recorded four consecutive double-digit tackle games starting with the Navy game on Sept. 15 and running through the Oct. 13 Fordham game. He made a career-high 11 tackles against Fordham and added 1.5 tackles for loss against both the Midshipmen and Rams.
Mish was honored as the first team kicker and punter as a sophomore in 2016 and added second team honors as a kicker last season. This year, Mish averaged 41.3 yards on 74 punts, with 16 downed inside the opponents' 20 yard line. Mish finishes his career as Lehigh's career leader in net punting average at 41.6 yards per kick. He also went 19-of-22 on extra points and 6-of-8 on field goals and became Lehigh's career scoring leader among kickers, finishing his career with 236.
Patriot League champion Colgate captured three of the four major awards with tailback James Holland named Offensive Player of the Year, linebacker T.J. Holl winning Defensive Player of the Year, and Dan Hunt garnering Coach of the Year honors. Lafayette defensive lineman Malik Hamm was named Rookie of the Year.
Lehigh capped its 2018 season with its fourth consecutive win over Lafayette as the Mountain Hawks rolled to a 34-3 win in Easton on Saturday. The Mountain Hawks' senior class became the 11th in school history to go 4-0 all-time versus the Leopards.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
The All-Patriot League teams and major awards were voted on by the league's head coaches. Mish garnered all-league recognition for the third consecutive season, while Portorreal and McCloskey were both first time honorees.
Bragalone's 2018 season was highlighted by records set both early and late in the campaign. In 10 games, the 2017 consensus All-American rushed for 757 yards and seven touchdowns. Bragalone opened the season by rushing for 137 yards and three touchdowns against Saint Francis, becoming Lehigh's all-time leading rusher in the process. He set Lehigh's career rushing touchdown record with his 43rd in a 177-yard effort in a Nov. 3 win over Bucknell, and capped his career by earning game MVP honors in Saturday's 154th Lehigh-Lafayette game after rushing for 95 yards and three touchdowns and breaking Lehigh's career records for total touchdowns and scoring.
The first Lehigh runner to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Bragalone finishes his Mountain Hawk career with 4,324 yards and 46 touchdowns, while averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He also set new school records with 52 total touchdowns and 312 points scored.
Bragalone is Lehigh's fourth four-time All-Patriot League selection, joining linebacker Ian Eason '00, kicker/punter Jason Leo '09 and wide receiver Troy Pelletier '18. He joins Holy Cross defensive back Dave Murphy (1986-89) and Colgate quarterback Ryan Vena (1996-99) as four-time first-team selections.
Portorreal captured his first all-league honor after leading the Mountain Hawks with 55 receptions for 794 yards and three touchdowns. He teamed with senior quarterback Brad Mayes for Lehigh's longest play of the season, an 85-yard catch and run at Georgetown on Oct. 20. Portorreal was named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week following a nine-catch, 216-yard, two touchdown effort in Lehigh's 45-17 win over Bucknell on Nov. 3. The 216 yards matched the sixth-highest single game total in school annals.
McCloskey came back from a season-ending injury in 2017 to start 10 games at strong safety, while serving as one of Lehigh's team captains. He finished second on the Mountain Hawks with 77 tackles and added four tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble. McCloskey recorded four consecutive double-digit tackle games starting with the Navy game on Sept. 15 and running through the Oct. 13 Fordham game. He made a career-high 11 tackles against Fordham and added 1.5 tackles for loss against both the Midshipmen and Rams.
Mish was honored as the first team kicker and punter as a sophomore in 2016 and added second team honors as a kicker last season. This year, Mish averaged 41.3 yards on 74 punts, with 16 downed inside the opponents' 20 yard line. Mish finishes his career as Lehigh's career leader in net punting average at 41.6 yards per kick. He also went 19-of-22 on extra points and 6-of-8 on field goals and became Lehigh's career scoring leader among kickers, finishing his career with 236.
Patriot League champion Colgate captured three of the four major awards with tailback James Holland named Offensive Player of the Year, linebacker T.J. Holl winning Defensive Player of the Year, and Dan Hunt garnering Coach of the Year honors. Lafayette defensive lineman Malik Hamm was named Rookie of the Year.
Lehigh capped its 2018 season with its fourth consecutive win over Lafayette as the Mountain Hawks rolled to a 34-3 win in Easton on Saturday. The Mountain Hawks' senior class became the 11th in school history to go 4-0 all-time versus the Leopards.
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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