July 16, 2009
EASTON, Pa. - Six Lafayette football players have been named to Phil Steele's 2009 Preseason All-Patriot League Team. The Leopards saw three of those players earn First-Team honors, including two on special teams.
Senior tri-captain Ryan Hart-Predmore was the lone offensive player recognized, earning a spot on the second team. Hart-Predmore is a two-year starter on the offensive line who was named the team's Most Improved Offensive Player following his junior season. He started all 11 games last year, lining up at right guard for eight and left guard for three. The Economics and Business major also earned Patriot League Academic Honor Roll status and made the Dean's List for the fall semester.
Fellow captain Mark Leggiero was a First-Team All-Defense selection. The three-year starter is the top returning tackler in the league, averaging 8.5 per game. In 2008, he started all 11 games at middle linebacker and was an All-Patriot League First Team player. Leggiero finished the season with 93 tackles including 12 for loss. An Engineering major, he was also named to the league's Academic Honor Roll.
Senior classmates Eric McGovern and Alan Whitesell were named to the All-Defense Second Team. McGovern started all 11 games at strong safety in 2008. The Economics and Business major had a career-high 58 total tackles with three for loss. McGovern also added four pass breakups and recorded his first career interception against Holy Cross.
Whitesell started four of the 10 games in which he played as a junior en route to being named the squad's Most Improved Player. He finished the fall with six tackles, two for loss, one sack and a blocked kick. Whitesell, also an Economics and Business major, was also named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
Finally, two student-athletes were named to the Special Teams First Team. Juniors Davis Rodriguez, the team's kicker, and punter Tom Kondash were recognized after solid sophomore campaigns.
This is the second preseason honor for Davis, who was selected to the Sports Network Preseason All-America squad earlier this month. Davis had a career year in 2008, earning Sports Network All-America honorable mention and was an All-Patriot League Second-Team selection. He connected on 13-of-15 field goals and 32-of-33 PATs. Davis, a Government and Law major, was also named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
Kondash handled the punting responsibilities for the Leopards in 2008 and saw action in all 11 games. He averaged 37.7 yards per punt, including 22 inside the 20, and booted seven punts of 50-plus yards. Kondash, a Mechanical Engineering major, recorded on a career-long 79-yard punt against Holy Cross.
The 2009 season kicks off on Sept. 12 with a 6 p.m. contest at Patriot League opponent Georgetown. Season and mini-season ticket packages are on sale now and is the way to guarantee your ticket to the 145th meeting between Lafayette and Lehigh. Individual game tickets will go on sale Sept. 1.
