Aug. 3, 2010

EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette football team has been picked to finish second in the Patriot League Preseason Poll announced at Patriot League Football Media Day on Tuesday.

The Leopards were selected behind Colgate (46 points) which received six of the 12 possible first-place votes of the conference coaches and sports information directors. Lafayette garnered two first-place votes with 36 total points on the ballot. Lehigh (35 points) was picked third after receiving three first-place nods. Reigning Patriot League champ Holy Cross collected one first-place vote and 34 points followed by Bucknell (17) in fifth and Georgetown (12) in sixth.

Seniors Mike Schmidlein, Mike Phillips and Marc Quilling joined 11th year head coach Frank Tavani at the conference's annual media day gathering at Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa.

Schmidlein was the top tackler in the Patriot League in 2009 and an All-Patriot League Second-Team selection. Phillips was part of a deep defensive line in 2009 and is expected to step into a starting role in 2010. Quilling is competing with junior Ryan O'Neil for the starting quarterback job, a role Quilling held part-time in 2008.

The poll voters also picked Colgate senior quarterback Greg Sullivan as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Holy Cross senior defensive lineman Mude Ohimor as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Lafayette, which is coming off an 8-3 year in which the Leopards finished ranked in the Top 25, opens the season Sept. 11 when they host Patriot League foe Georgetown at 6 p.m. at Fisher Stadium.