Lehigh University Athletics
Three Mountain Hawks Named To All-Patriot League Team
11/21/2023 2:34:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Three members of the Lehigh football defense garnered second team All-Patriot League honors as the league announced its football postseason major awards and all-league teams on Tuesday. Senior linebacker Mike DeNucci garnered all-league recognition for the second straight year and was joined by fifth-year defensive lineman Dean Colton and sophomore safety Nick Peltekian.
The All-Patriot League teams and the major award winners are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Lehigh's all-league group includes three of the Mountain Hawks' top five tacklers overall and three of the top four on the team in tackles for loss. Colton and DeNucci were two of Lehigh's three team captains in 2023.
DeNucci lands on the second team after earning first team honors following the 2022 season. He finished second on the Mountain Hawks with 87 total tackles and six tackles for loss. DeNucci added 1.5 sacks, four pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal. He had a season-best 12 tackles at Fordham in early October and was a dominant force in Lehigh's 14-12 win at Merrimack on Sept. 9, making 10 tackles including two for loss and adding a sack as the Mountain Hawks preserved a two-point lead late.
Colton lands on his first all-league team following a strong fifth-year that featured 42 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. On Oct. 7 at Fordham, Colton registered a career-high 10 tackles from his defensive tackle position. Colton's three sacks came against Villanova, Bucknell and Colgate as he finishes his Lehigh career with 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Peltekian improved as the year progressed, with a late season surge giving the sophomore safety the team lead with 91 tackles. He also tied for the team lead with five pass breakups. Peltekian had a career-best 14 tackles at Colgate on Nov. 10 and made 10 tackles, including three tackles for loss against Georgetown on Oct. 14. He played a key role defensively and on special teams in Lehigh's win at Bucknell on Oct. 21, making seven tackles with two pass breakups, while also returning a punt 57 yards for a touchdown.
Patriot League co-champions Holy Cross and Lafayette split the league's four major awards, with the Crusaders having the Offensive (quarterback Matthew Sluka) and Defensive (linebacker Jacob Dobbs) Players of the Year and the Leopards having the Rookie of the Year in defensive lineman Jaylon Joseph and Coach of the Year John Troxell.
2023 Patriot League Football Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year – Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr., QB
Defensive Player of the Year – Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, 5th-year, LB
Rookie of the Year – Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, Fr., DL
Dick Biddle Coach of the Year - John Troxell, Lafayette
2023 All-Patriot League Football First Team
First-Team Offense (15)
QB: Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr.
RB: Julius Loughridge, Fordham, Jr.
RB: Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Jr.
RB: Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, So.
WR: Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, So.
WR: MJ Wright, Fordham, Gr.
WR: Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, Sr.
TE: Mason Gilbert, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: Lucas Portes, Fordham, Gr.
OL: CJ Hanson, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Luke Newman, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Mike Barr, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: John Olmstead, Lafayette, 5th-year
PK: Brandon Peskin, Fordham, Sr.
RS: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, Sr.
First-Team Defense (14)
DL: Matt Jaworski, Fordham, Jr.
DL: Mateen Ibirogba, Georgetown, So.
DL: Dillon Springer, Holy Cross, Sr.
DL: Blamassi Meite, Lafayette, 5th-year
LB: James Conway, Fordham, Jr.
LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, 5th-year
LB: Billy Shaeffer, Lafayette, 5th-yera
LB: Marco Olivas, Lafayette, 5th-year
DB: Ethan Robinson, Bucknell, Jr.
DB: Owen Goss, Colgate, Sr.
DB: Nahil Perkins, Fordham, Sr.
DB: Saiku White, Lafayette, Jr.
P: Shelby Pruett, Colgate, Jr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist (STNS) – Max Hurleman, Colgate, Sr.
Second-Team Offense (16)*
QB: C.J. Montes, Fordham, So.
QB: Dean DeNobile, Lafayette, So.
RB: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, Sr.
RB: Joshua Stakely, Georgetown, Gr.
WR: Garrett Cody, Fordham, WR
WR: Nicholas Dunneman, Georgetown, So.
WR: Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown, So.
WR: Elijah Steward, Lafayette, So.
TE: Sean Morris, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Bardhyl Gashi, Colgate, Sr
OL: Chance Niesner, Colgate, Jr.
OL: Patrick McMurtrie, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Eric Schon, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Ryder Langsdale, Lafayette, Jr.
PK: Jacob Jaworski, Colgate, Sr.
RS: Nicholas Dunneman, Georgetown, So.
Second-Team Defense (16)*
DL: Zack Pelland, Colgate, 5th-year
DL: Claudy Robinson, Fordham, So.
DL: Ibri Harrell, Georgetown, Jr.
DL: Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, Fr.
DL: Dean Colton, Lehigh, 5th-year
LB: Brad Jamison, Bucknell, Jr.
LB: Tyler Flick, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Christian Sweeney, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, Sr.
DB: Stephen Williams II, Fordham, Sr.
DB: Rashon Adams Jr., Georgetown, Jr.
DB: Jaden Dugger, Georgetown, So.
DB: Terrence Spence, Holy Cross, Sr.
DB: Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, So.
P: Will Haslett, Fordham, Jr.
STNS: Will Kessler, Georgetown, Sr.
*Additional student-athletes were selected to the second-team offense and defense due to ties in the voting
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The All-Patriot League teams and the major award winners are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Lehigh's all-league group includes three of the Mountain Hawks' top five tacklers overall and three of the top four on the team in tackles for loss. Colton and DeNucci were two of Lehigh's three team captains in 2023.
DeNucci lands on the second team after earning first team honors following the 2022 season. He finished second on the Mountain Hawks with 87 total tackles and six tackles for loss. DeNucci added 1.5 sacks, four pass breakups, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal. He had a season-best 12 tackles at Fordham in early October and was a dominant force in Lehigh's 14-12 win at Merrimack on Sept. 9, making 10 tackles including two for loss and adding a sack as the Mountain Hawks preserved a two-point lead late.
Colton lands on his first all-league team following a strong fifth-year that featured 42 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks. On Oct. 7 at Fordham, Colton registered a career-high 10 tackles from his defensive tackle position. Colton's three sacks came against Villanova, Bucknell and Colgate as he finishes his Lehigh career with 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Peltekian improved as the year progressed, with a late season surge giving the sophomore safety the team lead with 91 tackles. He also tied for the team lead with five pass breakups. Peltekian had a career-best 14 tackles at Colgate on Nov. 10 and made 10 tackles, including three tackles for loss against Georgetown on Oct. 14. He played a key role defensively and on special teams in Lehigh's win at Bucknell on Oct. 21, making seven tackles with two pass breakups, while also returning a punt 57 yards for a touchdown.
Patriot League co-champions Holy Cross and Lafayette split the league's four major awards, with the Crusaders having the Offensive (quarterback Matthew Sluka) and Defensive (linebacker Jacob Dobbs) Players of the Year and the Leopards having the Rookie of the Year in defensive lineman Jaylon Joseph and Coach of the Year John Troxell.
2023 Patriot League Football Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year – Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr., QB
Defensive Player of the Year – Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, 5th-year, LB
Rookie of the Year – Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, Fr., DL
Dick Biddle Coach of the Year - John Troxell, Lafayette
2023 All-Patriot League Football First Team
First-Team Offense (15)
QB: Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr.
RB: Julius Loughridge, Fordham, Jr.
RB: Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Jr.
RB: Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, So.
WR: Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, So.
WR: MJ Wright, Fordham, Gr.
WR: Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, Sr.
TE: Mason Gilbert, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: Lucas Portes, Fordham, Gr.
OL: CJ Hanson, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Luke Newman, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Mike Barr, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: John Olmstead, Lafayette, 5th-year
PK: Brandon Peskin, Fordham, Sr.
RS: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, Sr.
First-Team Defense (14)
DL: Matt Jaworski, Fordham, Jr.
DL: Mateen Ibirogba, Georgetown, So.
DL: Dillon Springer, Holy Cross, Sr.
DL: Blamassi Meite, Lafayette, 5th-year
LB: James Conway, Fordham, Jr.
LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, 5th-year
LB: Billy Shaeffer, Lafayette, 5th-yera
LB: Marco Olivas, Lafayette, 5th-year
DB: Ethan Robinson, Bucknell, Jr.
DB: Owen Goss, Colgate, Sr.
DB: Nahil Perkins, Fordham, Sr.
DB: Saiku White, Lafayette, Jr.
P: Shelby Pruett, Colgate, Jr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist (STNS) – Max Hurleman, Colgate, Sr.
Second-Team Offense (16)*
QB: C.J. Montes, Fordham, So.
QB: Dean DeNobile, Lafayette, So.
RB: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, Sr.
RB: Joshua Stakely, Georgetown, Gr.
WR: Garrett Cody, Fordham, WR
WR: Nicholas Dunneman, Georgetown, So.
WR: Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown, So.
WR: Elijah Steward, Lafayette, So.
TE: Sean Morris, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Bardhyl Gashi, Colgate, Sr
OL: Chance Niesner, Colgate, Jr.
OL: Patrick McMurtrie, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Eric Schon, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Ryder Langsdale, Lafayette, Jr.
PK: Jacob Jaworski, Colgate, Sr.
RS: Nicholas Dunneman, Georgetown, So.
Second-Team Defense (16)*
DL: Zack Pelland, Colgate, 5th-year
DL: Claudy Robinson, Fordham, So.
DL: Ibri Harrell, Georgetown, Jr.
DL: Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, Fr.
DL: Dean Colton, Lehigh, 5th-year
LB: Brad Jamison, Bucknell, Jr.
LB: Tyler Flick, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Christian Sweeney, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, Sr.
DB: Stephen Williams II, Fordham, Sr.
DB: Rashon Adams Jr., Georgetown, Jr.
DB: Jaden Dugger, Georgetown, So.
DB: Terrence Spence, Holy Cross, Sr.
DB: Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, So.
P: Will Haslett, Fordham, Jr.
STNS: Will Kessler, Georgetown, Sr.
*Additional student-athletes were selected to the second-team offense and defense due to ties in the voting
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on X/Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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