BETHLEHEM, PA.  — Ten different student-athletes from Colgate's football team earned a spot on the All-Patriot League squads, the conference announced on Tuesday. Treyvhon Saunders was voted to the first-team offense; Owen Goss on first-team defense; and Shelby Pruett and Max Hurleman as first-team specialists. Bardhyl Gashi, Chance Niesner and Jacob Jaworski landed on the second-team offense while Zack Pelland, Tyler Flick and Christian Sweeney were selected for the second-team defense. 

In his breakout sophomore season, Saunders paced the Raider offense and finished second in the conference with 68 receptions and 6.2 catches per game. He completed one of the best statistical seasons by a pass catcher in Colgate history, finishing with the sixth most receptions in a season and the 10th most receiving yards ever by a Raider. 

Defensively, preseason All-Patriot selection Owen Goss led the Colgate secondary in tackles and logged the seventh-most stops by a defensive back in the league. He was tied for fourth in interceptions this season, highlighted by his two-pick performance against Georgetown where he returned one for a touchdown. 

Pruett repeats as the first-team all-league selection for punter after he boomed the longest punt in the league this season, a 69-yard boot against Cornell on Sept. 30. In total, he racked up the second-most 50+ yard punts in the league. His 1,814 total yards and 41.2-yard average both ranked third in the conference. Elsewhere on special teams, Hurleman raked in a first-team selection as a non-specialist, playing on nearly every unit for the Raiders this season. 

The offensive line duo of Bardhyl Gashi and Chance Niesner earned second-team slots after leading a dangerous Colgate rushing attack. On the ground, the Raiders tallied the third-highest touchdown total in the Patriot League. Niesner, a junior, makes his first appearance on an all-league team while Gashi lands on the second team in back-to-back seasons. 

Placekicker Jacob Jaworski made the second-most field goals in the Patriot League this year and boasts the third-highest percentage in the conference after missing only three kicks on 11 attempts. He led Colgate in points for the 2023 season and was 10th in the league in overall scoring which earned the senior his first all-league selection. 

A trio of experienced Raiders found themselves on the second-team defensive squad, led by fifth-year linebacker Tyler Flick. A second-team All-Patriot League selection last year and preseason all-league honoree this season was fifth in the conference with 78 total tackles. 

Senior linebacker Christian Sweeney was just behind Flick at 74 total stops, good for 10th in the Patriot League. Fifth-year defensive lineman Zack Pelland was voted to an all-league team for the first time in his career after posting 19 tackles, four TFLs, a sack and a game-winning blocked field goal in his final season for the Raiders.

 

2023 Patriot League Football Major Awards

Offensive Player of the Year – Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr., QB

Defensive Player of the Year – Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, 5th-year, LB

Rookie of the Year – Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, Fr., DL

Dick Biddle Coach of the Year - John Troxell, Lafayette

 

2023 All-Patriot League Football First Team

First-Team Offense (15)

QB: Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr.

RB: Julius Loughridge, Fordham, Jr.

RB: Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Jr.

RB: Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, So.

WR: Treyvhon Saunders, Colgate, So.

WR: MJ Wright, Fordham, Gr.

WR: Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, Sr.

TE: Mason Gilbert, Lafayette, Sr.

OL: Lucas Portes, Fordham, Gr.

OL: CJ Hanson, Holy Cross, 5th-year

OL: Luke Newman, Holy Cross, Sr.
OL: Mike Barr, Lafayette, Sr.

OL: John Olmstead, Lafayette, 5th-year
PK: Brandon Peskin, Fordham, Sr.
RS: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, Sr.

 

First-Team Defense (14)

DL: Matt Jaworski, Fordham, Jr.
DL: Mateen Ibirogba, Georgetown, So.
DL: Dillon Springer, Holy Cross, Sr.

DL: Blamassi Meite, Lafayette, 5th-year

LB: James Conway, Fordham, Jr.

LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, 5th-year

LB: Billy Shaeffer, Lafayette, 5th-yera

LB: Marco Olivas, Lafayette, 5th-year

DB: Ethan Robinson, Bucknell, Jr.

DB: Owen Goss, Colgate, Sr.

DB: Nahil Perkins, Fordham, Sr.

DB: Saiku White, Lafayette, Jr.

P: Shelby Pruett, Colgate, Jr.

Special Teams Non-Specialist (STNS) – Max Hurleman, Colgate, Sr.

 

Second-Team Offense (16)*

QB: C.J. Montes, Fordham, So.

QB: Dean DeNobile, Lafayette, So.

RB: Coleman Bennett, Bucknell, Sr.

RB: Joshua Stakely, Georgetown, Gr.

WR: Garrett Cody, Fordham, WR

WR: Nicholas Dunneman, Georgetown, So.

WR: Jimmy Kibble, Georgetown, So.

WR: Elijah Steward, Lafayette, So.

TE: Sean Morris, Holy Cross, 5th-year

OL: Bardhyl Gashi, Colgate, Sr

OL: Chance Niesner, Colgate, Jr.

OL: Patrick McMurtrie, Holy Cross, 5th-year

OL: Eric Schon, Holy Cross, Sr.

OL: Ryder Langsdale, Lafayette, Jr.

PK: Jacob Jaworski, Colgate, Sr.

RS: Nicholas Dunneman, Georgetown, So.

 

Second-Team Defense (16)*

DL: Zack Pelland, Colgate, 5th-year

DL: Claudy Robinson, Fordham, So.

DL: Ibri Harrell, Georgetown, Jr.

DL: Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, Fr.

DL: Dean Colton, Lehigh, 5th-year
LB: Brad Jamison, Bucknell, Jr.

LB: Tyler Flick, Colgate, Sr.

LB: Christian Sweeney, Colgate, Sr.

LB: Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, Sr.
DB: Stephen Williams II, Fordham, Sr.

DB: Rashon Adams Jr., Georgetown, Jr.

DB: Jaden Dugger, Georgetown, So.
DB: Terrence Spence, Holy Cross, Sr.

DB: Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, So.

P: Will Haslett, Fordham, Jr.

STNS: Will Kessler, Georgetown, Sr.

 

*Additional student-athletes were selected to the second-team offense and defense due to ties in the voting