EASTON, Pa. – Seniors Malik Hamm and Marco Olivas each have earned selections to the 2022 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team announced on Tuesday.
 
Hamm was the named the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in his career (2021 Spring). He is a four-time All-Patriot League selection (one of just 24 in conference history), garnering first-team status each of the last three seasons.
 
In the 2021 fall season, the Psychology major and Baltimore native served as a team captain and ranked second on the team in tackles (64) and tackles for loss (7.5) while leading the team with 14 quarterback hurries. For his career, he has started in 35 of 37 games and is second at Lafayette in career sacks (23.5).
 
Hamm joins fellow defensive teammate and co-captain Olivas on the Patriot League Preseason All- Team. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Olivas is a two-time All-Patriot League selection (first-team in 2021 fall and second-team in 2021 spring) and has twice been named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team.
 
In 2021, Olivas led the team and finished seventh in the nation in total tackles, making 117 while starting all 11 games. He also ranked 16^th in the nation with 59 solo tackles and racked up a team-best 9.5 tackles for loss with 4.5 sacks. The Integrative Engineering major reached double figures in tackles in six games and managed at least seven tackles in every game.
 
The Leopards were picked fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll behind Holy Cross (which received 11 first-place votes) Fordham and Colgate and ahead of Lehigh, Georgetown and Bucknell. The Maroon and White will have a new look in 2022 under the direction of first-year head coach John Troxell '94 and his experienced coaching staff.
 
Lafayette has eight starters returning on each side of the ball, including seven All-Patriot League selections. Of 61 letterwinners from the 2021 season, 38 are slated to return. The team reports to camp on Aug. 4 and will open the season a month later, hosting Sacred Heart on Sept. 3 at 12:30 p.m.