Season Highlight Video
HAMILTON – Colgate Football wrapped up the 2019 season Saturday night with a thank-you to this year's captains, seniors and award-winners at the annual team banquet.
Head coach
Dan Hunt recognized 22 seniors and four captains, thanking them for maintaining the poise to providing the guidance that lifted the Raiders to four wins in their final five games.
Nick Diaco took home the Andy Kerr Trophy for Offensive MVP. Diaco led all Raider pass-catchers with a 14.1-yard average. His 366 yards were second on the team and his 26 catches third. Diaco also tied for the team lead with two touchdown receptions, but he added to that total by running for a score and throwing for another.
Nick Wheeler was this year's recipient of the Hal W. Lahar Trophy as Defensive MVP. Wheeler capped his career as the all-time Colgate sack leader and third in Patriot League history with 33. That figure ranked fourth nationally among active FCS leaders. He led the team with 18 tackles-for-loss, accounting for minus-81 yards, and 9½ sacks for minus-60. Both of those totals were among the national top 20.
Garrett Oakey and
Milton Braasch II won this year's Tom Dodge Unsung Hero Awards. Oakey made eight starts and led the team with 58 receptions for 736 yards, a 12.7-yard average. Included was his first collegiate touchdown reception, a 24-yarder at Holy Cross. Braasch started the final eight games of the season and finished second on the team in tackles with 76. His top tackle game was 10 in the 16-0 shutout win at Lafayette to end the season.
Barney Amor picked up the Mark Rakowski Special Teams Award. Amor punted for a 42.1-yard average that broke the program record for a minimum of 40 punts. His average was second in the Patriot League and earned him an All-Patriot League Second Team nod by Phil Steele Magazine.
Nick Gill earned the Dick Biddle Coaches Award. The senior was second on the team with 28 catches and third with 288 yards. He caught touchdown passes against both Air Force and Cornell. That Cornell performance featured four receptions for a season-high 48 yards.
Rory Boos on the offense and
Nick Wiley on defense earned the Gordon Watson Scout Team Awards, while Al Egler Jr. '79 and Mike Holobosky '19 were presented with the Jack Mitchell Loyalty Awards.
Colgate opens its 2020 season Sept. 5 at Western Michigan.
2019 Colgate Postseason Award-Winners
All-America
Nick Wheeler (Associated Press third team, STATS FCS third team)
Abu Daramy-Swaray (STATS FCS third team)
All-ECAC
Nick Wheeler (first team)
All-Patriot League
Barney Amor (Phil Steele second team)
Jack Badovinac (Coaches first team, Phil Steele first team)
Abu Daramy-Swaray (Coaches first team, Phil Steele first team)
Nick Diaco (Coaches first team, Phil Steele second team)
William Gruber (Coaches second team, Phil Steele first team)
Collin Heard (Coaches second team, Phil Steele third team)
Nicholas Ioanilli (Coaches second team, Phil Steele third team)
Jake Shaffner (Phil Steele first team)
Nick Wheeler (Coaches first team, Phil Steele first team)
Academic All-Patriot League
Grant Breneman
Patriot League Academic Honor Roll
Barney Amor
Jack Badovinac
Drew Berggren
Ben Bohnenberger
Marques Bruce
Ryan Cekay
Keshaun Dancy
Jacob Esarco
Jake Froschauer
Nick Gill
William Gruber
Charlie Holsopple
J.T. Hower
Michael Kane
Garrett Oakey
Zack Pelland
Jackson Price
WInslow Robinson
Alex Rosso
Jake Shaffner
Quinn Stephenson
Trevor Thompson
Malik Twyman
Will Varble
Nick Wiley
Jovaun Woolford
