The awards keep piling up for the Lehigh football team.
Three days removed from a 45-21 win against Lafayette in Rivalry 152, wrapping up a 9-2 regular season, the Mountain Hawks claimed 13 all-Patriot League selections, an Offensive Player of the Year win for quarterback Nick Shafnisky and a Coach of the Year award for Andy Coen.
Shafnisky, a dual-threat quarterback in his senior year, finished the regular season with 20 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing scores. Despite missing two starts and leaving another game due to injury, Shafnisky was named the Patriot League Player of the Week twice this season. The Whitehall native beat out Fordham’s Chase Edmonds, who led the entire FCS in both rushing yards with 1,799 and touchdowns with 19.
For Coen, it was the second time he has been honored as the league’s best coach in his 11 years with Lehigh. With his team scoring 40.5 points per game, good for sixth in the FCS, he’s entering the postseason with one of the most talented teams he’s ever coached.
On the offensive side, Shafnisky was joined by six other Mountain Hawks on the first-team Patriot League squad. Sophomore back Dom Bragalone, who was named Rookie of the Year last season, managed to top the 1,000-yard mark for his second time in as many years. Lehigh’s receiving duo of juniors Troy Pelletier and Gatlin Casey both made the cut as well after being the only two receivers in the entire Patriot League to record over 1,000 yards on the season. Casey also took the honors for best return specialist. They were joined by senior offensive lineman Zach Duffy, who was a second-team selection a season ago.
On defense, senior Colton Caslow represented Lehigh on the first-team Patriot League defensive group by sandwiching a 72-tackle season between two injuries. After Caslow missed the opening game of the season against Monmouth, he returned and played in every game. However, in Rivalry 152, Caslow left the game during the fourth quarter with an injury and did not return. His status going forward into the FCS playoffs is unclear.
Sophomore kicker Ed Mich swept both the awards he was eligible for, first-team placekicker and punter. He was named Special Teams player of the Week five times this season by the Patriot League and went a perfect 59-for-59 on extra point attempts.
Lehigh’s three members of the Patriot League’s second team were offensive lineman Brandon Short, defensive lineman Tyler Cavenas and defensive back Brandon Leaks.
The team will now look on to its next challenge, University of New Hampshire, which it will face Saturday at 2 p.m.
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