EASTON, Pa. – Seniors Malik Hamm and Marco Olivas will serve as the Lafayette football team captains for the 2022 season. The defensive stalwarts, who lay claim to six All-Patriot League selections and the team's last three MVP awards, were selected in a vote of their peers. Additionally, head coach John Troxell '94 has named both Hamm and Olivas as recipients of the Chris LaPietra '89 Captain Award. Hamm had the inaugural honor bestowed on him for the 2021 season. 
 
"Marco and Malik represent what Lafayette College is looking for in a student-athlete. They are great football players and exemplary teammates," said Troxell, the Fred M. Kirby '42 Head Football Coach. "They both put in extra work and are always prepared. Malik and Marco bring experience, consistency and a dedication to football that is unparalleled. I am really excited that they will lead our team."
 
Hamm, who also served as a team captain in 2021, is one of the most-decorated defensive linemen in program history, earning All-Patriot League status on four occasions with first-team selections in 2019, when he was tagged as the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, and the 2021 spring and fall seasons. The Baltimore native was the conference Rookie of the Year in 2018, garnering All-Patriot League Second-Team status. He was the Hugh H. "Stoney" Jones '27 MVP in 2019 and the 2021 spring campaign.
 
A Psychology major, Hamm has played in 37 career games and has racked up 23.5 sacks, 38 tackles for loss and 184 total tackles.  
 
Olivas, a versatile linebacker, is a two-time All-Patriot League selection, securing first-team laurels in the 2021 fall season, when he was named the team MVP, and second-team recognition in the 2021 spring campaign.
 
As a junior in 2021, he led the team and finished seventh in the nation in total tackles (117) and 16^th in the nation in solo tackles (59). The Integrative Engineering major from Fossil Ridge, Texas also achieved Academic All-Patriot League status in 2021. For his career, he has played in 26 career games, racking up 218 tackles with 22 tackles for loss including 12 sacks.
 
Hamm and Olivas will open the 2022 campaign on Sept. 3 when the Leopards host Sacred Heart. It will mark the first game under the guidance of Troxell who took the head coaching reins in December.