HAMILTON, N.Y. - Student-athletes, coaches, families and friends of the Colgate football team gathered for the program's year-end banquet Saturday night, to celebrate and recognize the seniors, captains, and 2021 award winners. 

In opening remarks, Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Nicki Moore commended the senior class for shouldering transitions they could never have anticipated when making their commitment to come to Colgate. "Through it all, you have stuck together….You remained loyal to each other. You remained committed to a process. You remained true to Colgate. Because you chose to remain, and to lean into the challenges presented, you achieved incredible things together." 

Moore also saluted the group for earning the highest regular semester team GPA in the fall of 2021 since it has been tracked beginning in 2014. 
 
Fred '50 and Marilyn Dunlap Head Coach Stan Dakosty '05 honored eight fifth-year seniors and 15 true seniors with framed jerseys. 

"The seniors from the 2021 team are a special group." Dakosty stated. "They battled through a lot of adversity over their careers and left a special legacy. Their fight for each other and for the program helped reinstill a sense of pride in the brotherhood that makes our program so special. The momentum in the program right now is a direct result of them fighting until the end and finishing their senior year with victories that reminded everyone what Colgate football is all about."  

Dakosty also recognized the team's three captains, Milton Braasch II, Grant Breneman and Collin Heard, for their distinctive leadership qualities. 

Garrett Oakey earned the Andy Kerr Offensive MVP Award. Oakey led the Raiders with 35 receptions for 601 yards, a 17.2-yard average, and three touchdowns. 

William Gruber took home both the Hal W. Lahar Defensive MVP Award and the Mark Rakowski '83 Special Teams Award. Gruber played in nine games for the Raiders this fall and made 34 tackles, including 25 solo. He led the FCS in kickoff return touchdowns with two. Gruber earned First Team All-Patriot League honors as a defensive back and a return specialist, marking the second time he was honored at multiple positions. Gruber joined former teammate Abu Daramy-Swaray (DB/RS) and Fordham's Brian Wetzel (WR/RS) as the only student-athletes in Patriot League football history to be recognized at multiple positions in a single season more than once. 

Trevor Thompson was this year's winner of the Tom Dodge Unsung Hero Award. In ten starts for the Raiders this fall, Thompson was responsible for 53 tackles, 31 of them solo, one interception, three break-ups and one quarterback hurry. He ended his career with a game-sealing interception in the fourth quarter of the Fordham game.

Sam Diehl was presented with the Dick Biddle Coaches Award. The offensive lineman earned All-Patriot League Second Team Offense honors. This season, he led a unit that was top 50 in the FCS in rushing yards per game and cut the total number of sacks in half from the fall of 2019. 

Nick Frey on offense and Brody Hock on defense picked up the Gordon Watson '62 Scout Team Awards. Patty Caprio and Steve Chouinard were presented with the Maroon Council Jack Mitchell Loyalty Awards. Sean Amill earned the inaugural Debbie Rhyde Raider Award, which will be presented annually to the Colgate football student-athlete who best represents the core values of Colgate football: community, family, selflessness and commitment to program, both on and off the field. 

Colgate opens its 2022 season Sept. 3 at Stanford. 

2021 Colgate Postseason Award-Winners
 
All-Patriot League
Milton Braasch II (Coaches first team, Phil Steele second team - defense)
Michael Brescia (Rookie of the Year, Phil Steele third team - offense)
John Cox (Phil Steele fourth team - offense)
K2 Dickens (Coaches second team, Phil Steele second team - defense)
Sam Diehl (Coaches second team, Phil Steele third team - offense)
Tucker Dunn (Phil Steele second team - special teams)
J.C. Gaughan (Coaches second team - defense)
William Gruber (Coaches first team - offense, defense, Phil Steele first team - special teams, Phil Steele second team - defense, special teams)
Collin Heard (Phil Steele third team - defense)
Garrett Oakey (Phil Steele second team - offense)
Jayvion Queen (Coaches second team, Phil Steele second team - offense)
Trevor Thompson (Phil Steele third team - defense)

Academic All-Patriot League
Milton Braasch II
William Gruber

Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star Team
Milton Braasch II
William Gruber 
 
Patriot League Academic Honor Roll
Asauni Allen  
Sean Amill               
Will Andersen            
Moises Aracena           
Milton Braasch II 
Grant Breneman           
Michael Brescia          
Ryan Corbett             
Keshaun Dancy            
K2 Dickens               
Tucker Dunn              
Tyler Flick              
Drew Frankel             
Jake Froschauer          
J.C. Gaughan             
Michael Griggs           
William Gruber           
Elijah Hamilton          
J.T. Hower               
Andrew Jaworski          
Jacob Jaworski           
Evan Jones               
Abdoul Kouyate           
Mack Marrone             
Nick Marsh               
Nate Miller              
Chance Niesner           
Garrett Oakey            
William Parker           
Zack Pelland             
Ja-lon Perkins           
Jared Petrichick         
Jackson Price            
Shiva Puttagunta         
Alex Rosso               
Michael Slivka           
Trevor Thompson          
Nick Wiley