BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With the 2021 season opener looming less than six weeks away, Colgate Football landed four players on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team, announced Tuesday by the conference office.
A staple on the offensive line, senior
Jayvion Queen headlined the Raiders offensively, while Will Gruber earned one of the league's two Return Specialist nods. Linebacker
Milton Braasch II and defensive back
Collin Heard represented Colgate on the defensive end.
Queen was a Hero Sports Freshman All-American and Second Team All-Patriot selection after Colgate's run to the NCAA FCS Quarterfinals in 2018. He helped the Raiders lead the Patriot League in time of possession at 32:14 per game in 2019 before starting both games during the spring 2021 season.
Gruber collected three awards this spring, garnering Second Team honors as a defensive back, First Team as a return specialist, and a spot on the Academic All-Patriot League team. The Hermitage, Pennsylvania, product carries into his senior campaign a 21.6-yard kickoff return average.
Braasch paced the team with nine solo tackles and was tied for the team lead with 13 total tackles this past spring. He added three tackles for loss, accounting for minus-7 yards. As a sophomore in 2019, Braasch started eight games and finished second on the team with 76 tackles.
Heard has started every game in each of the last two seasons and heads into his senior campaign with three interceptions and 67 tackles, including 48 solo takedowns. The shifty defensive back led the team with three picks and finished second on the squad with five pass breakups on his way to Second Team All-Patriot honors in 2019.
2021 Patriot League Football Preseason All-League Team
OFFENSE*
QB: Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Sr.
RB: Trey Sneed, Fordham, Sr.
RB: Zach Davis, Fordham, Sr.
WR: Dequece Carter, Fordham, Jr.
WR: Fotis Kokosioulis, Fordham, Jr.
WR: Ayir Asante, Holy Cross, Jr.
TE: Steve Stilianos, Lafayette, Sr.
FB/HB: Mason Gilbert, Lafayette, So.
OL: Jayvion Queen, Colgate, Sr.
OL: Nick Zakelj, Fordham, Sr.
OL: Phil Saleh, Fordham, Sr.
OL: Nick Olsofka, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Gavin Barclay, Lafayette, Sr.
PK: Derek Ng, Holy Cross, Sr.
RS: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, So.
RS: William Gruber, Colgate, Sr.
DEFENSE*
DL: Benton Whitley, Holy Cross, Sr.
DL: Malik Hamm, Lafayette, Sr.
DL: John Coste, Fordham, Sr.
DL: Damon Washington, Lafayette, Sr.
LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, Jr.
LB: Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, Sr.
LB: Milton Braasch II, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Marco Olivas, Lafayette, Jr.
DB: John Smith, Holy Cross, Sr.
DB: Stephen Williams, Fordham, Jr.
DB: Collin Heard, Colgate, Sr.
DB: Gavin Pringle, Bucknell, Jr.
P: Patrick Haughney, Holy Cross, Jr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist: Palmer Nix, Georgetown, Sr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist: Jack Bush, Lehigh, Jr.
