Lehigh Picked First In Patriot League Preseason Poll, Seven Named To Preseason All-League Team
7/23/2025 11:00:00 AM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Coming off its first Patriot League Championship since 2017, 13-time league champion Lehigh football has been picked first in the 2025 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll. Senior defensive lineman Matt Spatny was named the league's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year while senior defensive lineman TJ Burke, senior linebacker Brycen Edwards, senior defensive back Nick Peltekian, junior running back Luke Yoder, senior offensive lineman Langston Jones and senior offensive lineman Aidan Palmer were recognized on the Preseason All-Patriot League team.
The Preseason All-Patriot League team, major awards and poll are voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Spatny enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, garnering honorable mention AP All-American honors and earned a spot on the first team All-Patriot League. The Medina, Ohio native tallied a league-leading 11.5 sacks as well as 36 total tackles and a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss. Against Princeton, Spatny recorded career-highs with seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Alongside Spatny, Burke helped anchor a Lehigh defensive line that led the Patriot League with 34 sacks. Another first team All-Patriot League selection a year ago, Burke finished the season with 40 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Burke saved his best game of the season for last, collecting five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in Lehigh's championship-clinching win over Lafayette.
Edwards earns a spot on the preseason team after leading Lehigh in total tackles with 90 and bolstering a defense that ranked first in the Patriot League. He recorded a career high 12 tackles in Lehigh's playoff game against Richmond and stuffed the stat sheet against Princeton, tallying two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.
A three-time All-Patriot League selection as both a defensive back and return specialist, Peltekian makes the preseason team for the second consecutive season. Peltekian had 74 total tackles, a team-high four interceptions, a forced fumble and fumble recovery along with 125 punt return yards. Peltekian was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on September 9 after intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown against Wagner.
Yoder ranked in the top three in the Patriot League in rushing, amassing 1,014 yards on the ground with ten rushing touchdowns to become Lehigh's first 1,000-yard rusher in seven seasons. The Palm Harbor, Florida native rushed for a season-high 137 yards and three touchdowns against Bucknell and had seven games notching 70 or more rushing yards. Through two seasons in the brown and white, Yoder has over 1,600 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Both Jones and Palmer helped pave the way for Lehigh's top-ranked rushing attack in 2024 that collected a league-best 2,624 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground. In addition, Lehigh's offensive line only allowed 15 sacks. Jones was a member of the first team All-Patriot League while Palmer was named to the second team last season.
Defending Patriot League champion Lehigh collected 97 points in the poll, including 13 first-place votes. The Mountain Hawks went 9-4 and 5-1 against Patriot League competition, advancing to the second round of the FCS playoffs.
Coming in second is league newcomer Richmond, who received 83 points and three first-place votes. Rounding out the top five is Holy Cross (78 points), Bucknell (51 points) and Lafayette (47 points).
The Mountain Hawks will open preseason camp next week ahead of the season opener on August 30 at Goodman Stadium against Richmond. The game will be a rematch of last season's first round FCS playoff victory that saw Lehigh defeat the Spiders 20-16 for their first postseason win since 2011.
Season and single game tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com.
2025 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll
1. Lehigh, 97 (13 first-place votes)
2. Richmond, 83 (3)
3. Holy Cross, 78
4. Bucknell, 51
5. Lafayette, 47
6. Georgetown, 32
7. Colgate, 31
8. Fordham, 29
2025 Patriot League Football Major Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Sr., QB
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr., DL
2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team
OFFENSE (14)*
QB: Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Sr.
RB: Jayden Clerveaux, Holy Cross, Jr.
RB: Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Jr.
WR: Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, Sr.
WR: Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown, Sr.
WR: Max Mosey, Holy Cross, Sr.
WR: Elijah Steward, Lafayette, Sr.
TE: Sean Clarke, Richmond, Sr.
OL: John Ohnegian, Bucknell, Sr.
OL: Cam Nolan, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Langston Jones, Lehigh, Sr.
OL: Aidan Palmer, Lehigh, Sr.
OL: Gabe Carbajal, Richmond, 5th
OL: Scott Hummel, Richmond, 5th
DEFENSE: (12)
DL: Cooper Blomstrom, Georgetown, Jr.
DL: TJ Burke, Lehigh, Sr.
DL: Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr.
DL: Camden Byrd, Richmond, Sr.
LB: James Conway, Fordham, Gr.
LB: GianCarlo Rufo, Georgetown, Jr.
LB: Brycen Edwards, Lehigh, Sr.
LB: Carter Glassmyer, Richmond, Sr.
DB: Aaron Davis, Bucknell, Sr.
DB: Alex Kemper, Fordham, Sr.
DB: Cam Jones, Holy Cross, Jr.
DB: Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, Sr.
SPECIAL TEAMS (5)
K: Luke Vogeler, Colgate, Jr.
P: Will Haslett, Fordham, Gr.
RS: TJ Cadden, Bucknell, Jr.
STNS: Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Jr.
LS: Dylan Aguilera, Lafayette, Sr.
*Additional student-athlete selected to the offense due to a tie 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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The Preseason All-Patriot League team, major awards and poll are voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Spatny enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, garnering honorable mention AP All-American honors and earned a spot on the first team All-Patriot League. The Medina, Ohio native tallied a league-leading 11.5 sacks as well as 36 total tackles and a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss. Against Princeton, Spatny recorded career-highs with seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Alongside Spatny, Burke helped anchor a Lehigh defensive line that led the Patriot League with 34 sacks. Another first team All-Patriot League selection a year ago, Burke finished the season with 40 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Burke saved his best game of the season for last, collecting five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in Lehigh's championship-clinching win over Lafayette.
Edwards earns a spot on the preseason team after leading Lehigh in total tackles with 90 and bolstering a defense that ranked first in the Patriot League. He recorded a career high 12 tackles in Lehigh's playoff game against Richmond and stuffed the stat sheet against Princeton, tallying two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.
A three-time All-Patriot League selection as both a defensive back and return specialist, Peltekian makes the preseason team for the second consecutive season. Peltekian had 74 total tackles, a team-high four interceptions, a forced fumble and fumble recovery along with 125 punt return yards. Peltekian was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on September 9 after intercepting two passes and returning one for a touchdown against Wagner.
Yoder ranked in the top three in the Patriot League in rushing, amassing 1,014 yards on the ground with ten rushing touchdowns to become Lehigh's first 1,000-yard rusher in seven seasons. The Palm Harbor, Florida native rushed for a season-high 137 yards and three touchdowns against Bucknell and had seven games notching 70 or more rushing yards. Through two seasons in the brown and white, Yoder has over 1,600 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Both Jones and Palmer helped pave the way for Lehigh's top-ranked rushing attack in 2024 that collected a league-best 2,624 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground. In addition, Lehigh's offensive line only allowed 15 sacks. Jones was a member of the first team All-Patriot League while Palmer was named to the second team last season.
Defending Patriot League champion Lehigh collected 97 points in the poll, including 13 first-place votes. The Mountain Hawks went 9-4 and 5-1 against Patriot League competition, advancing to the second round of the FCS playoffs.
Coming in second is league newcomer Richmond, who received 83 points and three first-place votes. Rounding out the top five is Holy Cross (78 points), Bucknell (51 points) and Lafayette (47 points).
The Mountain Hawks will open preseason camp next week ahead of the season opener on August 30 at Goodman Stadium against Richmond. The game will be a rematch of last season's first round FCS playoff victory that saw Lehigh defeat the Spiders 20-16 for their first postseason win since 2011.
Season and single game tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com.
2025 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll
1. Lehigh, 97 (13 first-place votes)
2. Richmond, 83 (3)
3. Holy Cross, 78
4. Bucknell, 51
5. Lafayette, 47
6. Georgetown, 32
7. Colgate, 31
8. Fordham, 29
2025 Patriot League Football Major Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Sr., QB
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr., DL
2025 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team
OFFENSE (14)*
QB: Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Sr.
RB: Jayden Clerveaux, Holy Cross, Jr.
RB: Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Jr.
WR: Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, Sr.
WR: Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown, Sr.
WR: Max Mosey, Holy Cross, Sr.
WR: Elijah Steward, Lafayette, Sr.
TE: Sean Clarke, Richmond, Sr.
OL: John Ohnegian, Bucknell, Sr.
OL: Cam Nolan, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Langston Jones, Lehigh, Sr.
OL: Aidan Palmer, Lehigh, Sr.
OL: Gabe Carbajal, Richmond, 5th
OL: Scott Hummel, Richmond, 5th
DEFENSE: (12)
DL: Cooper Blomstrom, Georgetown, Jr.
DL: TJ Burke, Lehigh, Sr.
DL: Matt Spatny, Lehigh, Sr.
DL: Camden Byrd, Richmond, Sr.
LB: James Conway, Fordham, Gr.
LB: GianCarlo Rufo, Georgetown, Jr.
LB: Brycen Edwards, Lehigh, Sr.
LB: Carter Glassmyer, Richmond, Sr.
DB: Aaron Davis, Bucknell, Sr.
DB: Alex Kemper, Fordham, Sr.
DB: Cam Jones, Holy Cross, Jr.
DB: Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, Sr.
SPECIAL TEAMS (5)
K: Luke Vogeler, Colgate, Jr.
P: Will Haslett, Fordham, Gr.
RS: TJ Cadden, Bucknell, Jr.
STNS: Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Jr.
LS: Dylan Aguilera, Lafayette, Sr.
*Additional student-athlete selected to the offense due to a tie 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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