Bragalone named Preseason Player of the Year; joined by Mayes, Fournier on All-League Team
7/26/2018 10:59:00 AM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh senior running back Dominick Bragalone was named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and is one of three Mountain Hawks to gain preseason all-league recognition as the Patriot League announced its preseason football poll and major awards Thursday.
Bragalone is coming off a season in which he was the Patriot League's Offensive Player of the Year, a consensus first team All-American, a finalist for the Walter Payton Award and led the FCS in overall rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and scoring. He is joined on the preseason all-league team by senior quarterback Brad Mayes and sophomore offensive lineman Chris Fournier.
The two-time defending Patriot League champion Mountain Hawks were picked second in the league's preseason poll with 63 points and three of a possible 14 first-place votes.
The preseason poll, awards and all-league team were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, who are not permitted to vote for their own teams or student-athletes.
Bragalone became the first Lehigh back to post three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, gaining 1,388 on 247 carriers while rushing for 18 touchdowns and adding four more touchdowns on pass receptions. A three-time All-Patriot League selection, Bragalone enters his senior season with 3,567 career rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns. He is 129 yards shy of Lehigh's career rushing record, held by Rabih Abdullah '97 and three rushing touchdowns short of the school mark held by Rod Gardner '77. Bragalone also stands just 36 points shy of Lehigh's career scoring record (306) held by Erick Torain '91.
Mayes capped his first season as Lehigh's full-time starting quarterback by earning first team All-Patriot League honors. He completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,886 yards and 31 touchdowns, ranking in the top 10 in the FCS in both passing yards and touchdown passes. Mayes was a two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week and MVP of the Lehigh-Lafayette game and posted the second-highest single-season totals in school history for passing yards and touchdown passes.
Fournier appeared in seven games as a freshman including three starts at center. He along with classmate Jackson Evans became the first freshman to start games on the offensive line for the Mountain Hawks since Will Rackley in 2007. Bragalone rushed for 100-plus yards in all three games Fournier started in 2017, including his career-best 218-yard rushing performance at Fordham. Fournier is expected to move from center to left tackle this season to replace All-Patriot League performer Tim O'Hara.
Lehigh is coming off a 5-7 campaign in 2017 that saw the Mountain Hawks win their second straight Patriot League title behind a 5-1 league mark. That title was clinched with a come-from-behind 38-31 win over rival Lafayette at Goodman Stadium. Over the last two seasons, the Mountain Hawks are 11-1 in Patriot League play.
Colgate garnered the remaining 11 first place votes and tops the poll with 71 points. The Mountain Hawks and Raiders will meet at Goodman Stadium on Saturday November 10. Fordham, the only Patriot League team to defeat Lehigh over the last two seasons, was picked third with 45 points, followed in order by Holy Cross, a tie between Bucknell and Lafayette, and Georgetown. Colgate junior defensive lineman Nick Wheeler was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Lehigh reports for preseason camp on Wednesday August 1, with the opening practice set for the following afternoon.
The Mountain Hawks will open the 2018 season with back-to-back home games, beginning September 1 when they host Saint Francis (Pa.) at Goodman Stadium. The following week Lehigh will host Villanova before a September 15 visit to Navy for the program's first visit to Annapolis since 1987 and its first contest against a FBS opponent since 2003. Tickets for all Lehigh home games can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by visiting LehighTickets.com.
2018 Patriot League Preseason Poll
2018 Patriot League Football Preseason All-League Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Dom Bragalone, RB, Lehigh (Sr.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Wheeler, DL, Colgate (Jr.)
Offense
QB: Brad Mayes, Lehigh (Sr.)*
RB: Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (Sr.)*
RB: James Holland, Jr, Colgate (Sr.)*
FB: Will Eisler, Lafayette (Sr.)*
WR: Thomas Ives, Colgate (Sr.)*
WR: Austin Longi, Fordham (Sr.)*
WR: Blaise Bell, Holy Cross (Sr.)*
TE: Isaiah Searight, Fordham (Sr.)*
OL: Max Hartzman, Colgate (Sr.)
OL: Jovaun Woolford, Colgate (Sr.)*
OL: Dominic Lombard, Fordham (Sr.)
OL: Pat Finn, Bucknell (Sr.)
OL: Chris Fournier, Lehigh (So.)
Defense#
DL: Teddy Capsis, Holy Cross (Sr.)*
DL: Khristian Tate, Georgetown (Jr.)*
DL: Nick Wheeler, Colgate (Jr.)*
DL: Neil Vorster, Holy Cross (Sr.)
DL: Anthony Giudice, Lafayette, (Sr.)
LB: Ryan Brady, Holy Cross (Sr.)
LB: Glenn Cunningham, Fordham (So.)*
LB: Jerry Powe, Lafayette (Sr.)*
LB: T.J. Holl, Colgate (Sr.)
DB: Tyler Castillo, Colgate (Jr.)*
DB: Abu Daramy, Colgate (So.)*
DB: Dylan Mabin, Fordham (Sr.)*
DB: Alec Wisniewski, Colgate (Sr.)*
Special Teams
PK: Chris Puzzi, Colgate (Jr.)*
P: Alex Pechin, Bucknell (Sr.)*
RS: C.J. Amill, Lafayette (Sr.)*
Non-Specialist Player: Ahmad Wilson, Georgetown (So.)*
*2017 All-Patriot League selection
#Second-Team has five defensive linemen due to a tie in the voting
Bragalone is coming off a season in which he was the Patriot League's Offensive Player of the Year, a consensus first team All-American, a finalist for the Walter Payton Award and led the FCS in overall rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and scoring. He is joined on the preseason all-league team by senior quarterback Brad Mayes and sophomore offensive lineman Chris Fournier.
The two-time defending Patriot League champion Mountain Hawks were picked second in the league's preseason poll with 63 points and three of a possible 14 first-place votes.
The preseason poll, awards and all-league team were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, who are not permitted to vote for their own teams or student-athletes.
Bragalone became the first Lehigh back to post three 1,000-yard rushing seasons, gaining 1,388 on 247 carriers while rushing for 18 touchdowns and adding four more touchdowns on pass receptions. A three-time All-Patriot League selection, Bragalone enters his senior season with 3,567 career rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns. He is 129 yards shy of Lehigh's career rushing record, held by Rabih Abdullah '97 and three rushing touchdowns short of the school mark held by Rod Gardner '77. Bragalone also stands just 36 points shy of Lehigh's career scoring record (306) held by Erick Torain '91.
Mayes capped his first season as Lehigh's full-time starting quarterback by earning first team All-Patriot League honors. He completed 64 percent of his passes for 3,886 yards and 31 touchdowns, ranking in the top 10 in the FCS in both passing yards and touchdown passes. Mayes was a two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week and MVP of the Lehigh-Lafayette game and posted the second-highest single-season totals in school history for passing yards and touchdown passes.
Fournier appeared in seven games as a freshman including three starts at center. He along with classmate Jackson Evans became the first freshman to start games on the offensive line for the Mountain Hawks since Will Rackley in 2007. Bragalone rushed for 100-plus yards in all three games Fournier started in 2017, including his career-best 218-yard rushing performance at Fordham. Fournier is expected to move from center to left tackle this season to replace All-Patriot League performer Tim O'Hara.
Lehigh is coming off a 5-7 campaign in 2017 that saw the Mountain Hawks win their second straight Patriot League title behind a 5-1 league mark. That title was clinched with a come-from-behind 38-31 win over rival Lafayette at Goodman Stadium. Over the last two seasons, the Mountain Hawks are 11-1 in Patriot League play.
Colgate garnered the remaining 11 first place votes and tops the poll with 71 points. The Mountain Hawks and Raiders will meet at Goodman Stadium on Saturday November 10. Fordham, the only Patriot League team to defeat Lehigh over the last two seasons, was picked third with 45 points, followed in order by Holy Cross, a tie between Bucknell and Lafayette, and Georgetown. Colgate junior defensive lineman Nick Wheeler was named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Lehigh reports for preseason camp on Wednesday August 1, with the opening practice set for the following afternoon.
The Mountain Hawks will open the 2018 season with back-to-back home games, beginning September 1 when they host Saint Francis (Pa.) at Goodman Stadium. The following week Lehigh will host Villanova before a September 15 visit to Navy for the program's first visit to Annapolis since 1987 and its first contest against a FBS opponent since 2003. Tickets for all Lehigh home games can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by visiting LehighTickets.com.
2018 Patriot League Preseason Poll
| Team (# of first place votes) | Points |
| 1. Colgate (11) | 71 |
| 2. LEHIGH (3) | 63 |
| 3. Fordham | 45 |
| 4. Holy Cross | 40 |
| T5. Bucknell | 31 |
| T5. Lafayette | 31 |
| 7. Georgetown | 13 |
2018 Patriot League Football Preseason All-League Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Dom Bragalone, RB, Lehigh (Sr.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Wheeler, DL, Colgate (Jr.)
Offense
QB: Brad Mayes, Lehigh (Sr.)*
RB: Dom Bragalone, Lehigh (Sr.)*
RB: James Holland, Jr, Colgate (Sr.)*
FB: Will Eisler, Lafayette (Sr.)*
WR: Thomas Ives, Colgate (Sr.)*
WR: Austin Longi, Fordham (Sr.)*
WR: Blaise Bell, Holy Cross (Sr.)*
TE: Isaiah Searight, Fordham (Sr.)*
OL: Max Hartzman, Colgate (Sr.)
OL: Jovaun Woolford, Colgate (Sr.)*
OL: Dominic Lombard, Fordham (Sr.)
OL: Pat Finn, Bucknell (Sr.)
OL: Chris Fournier, Lehigh (So.)
Defense#
DL: Teddy Capsis, Holy Cross (Sr.)*
DL: Khristian Tate, Georgetown (Jr.)*
DL: Nick Wheeler, Colgate (Jr.)*
DL: Neil Vorster, Holy Cross (Sr.)
DL: Anthony Giudice, Lafayette, (Sr.)
LB: Ryan Brady, Holy Cross (Sr.)
LB: Glenn Cunningham, Fordham (So.)*
LB: Jerry Powe, Lafayette (Sr.)*
LB: T.J. Holl, Colgate (Sr.)
DB: Tyler Castillo, Colgate (Jr.)*
DB: Abu Daramy, Colgate (So.)*
DB: Dylan Mabin, Fordham (Sr.)*
DB: Alec Wisniewski, Colgate (Sr.)*
Special Teams
PK: Chris Puzzi, Colgate (Jr.)*
P: Alex Pechin, Bucknell (Sr.)*
RS: C.J. Amill, Lafayette (Sr.)*
Non-Specialist Player: Ahmad Wilson, Georgetown (So.)*
*2017 All-Patriot League selection
#Second-Team has five defensive linemen due to a tie in the voting
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