EASTON, Pa. – Six Lafayette football players have been selected to the 2021 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team announced on Tuesday. Three selections came on each side of the ball in a vote of the conference coaches and sports information directors.
Heading the list is senior DL Malik Hamm. Hamm is a three-time All-Patriot League selection and was the 2018 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. He is coming off a 2021 spring season in which he was named to the All-Patriot League First Team for the second time in his career.
His defensive line mate, junior Damon Washington, joins him as a preseason All-Patriot League honoree. Washington finished off a breakout spring campaign with four sacks and two forced fumbles in the 156th Meeting of Lafayette vs. Lehigh that helped him secure All-Patriot League Second-Team laurels.
Junior Marco Olivas has been an All-League caliber player since his arrival on College Hill, first making his presence known on special teams and more recently as a starter at linebacker. Olivas was second on the team with 20 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss on his way to a Spring 2021 All-Patriot League Second Team selection.
Offensively, Steven Stilianos parlayed his 2021 Spring All-Patriot League First-Team selection into 2021 Fall Preseason All-Conference honors. Stilianos ended the spring with nine receptions, four of which were TD's, for 125 yards. He had two touchdowns in the season opener vs. Colgate and two more in Rivalry 156 when he garnered game MVP honors.
Sophomore Mason Gilbert takes the Preseason All-Patriot League nod at fullback/H-Back. Gilbert played in all three games as a rookie and is expected to be a primary contributor alongside Stilianos. Gilbert had a pair of catches in the win over Lehigh.
Senior Gavin Barclay enters his fifth season as a starter and anchor of the offensive line. The two-time All-Patriot League Second Team selection helped lead an offense that finished second in the Patriot League in total offense and sacks allowed.
With 44 points, the Leopards were picked to finish third in the Patriot League standings behind Holy Cross (71) and Fordham (63) and ahead of Lehigh (35), Bucknell (30), Georgetown (28) and Colgate (23).
The team reports to training camp Aug. 6 and will open the season a month later on Sept. 4 at Air Force.
