Bethlehem, Pennsylvania – Defending champion Lafayette was ranked atop the 2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll, and Leopards junior running back Jamar Curtis earned preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors when the league office announced the preseason honors Wednesday, while Fordham senior defensive lineman Matt Joworski earned preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The Leopards (9-3, 5-1 PL) received 72 points and 12 first-place votes last season under coach John Troxell, who led Lafayette to its first FCS playoff appearance since 2013. Holy Cross (7-4, 5-1 PL), which shared five straight Patriot League titles, finished second in the preseason poll with 56 points and is entering its first season under coach Dan Curran.
Fordham (6-5, 2-4) was third with 53 points and first-place votes, while Colgate (6-5, 4-2) was fourth with 46 points and the remaining first-place votes. Georgetown (27), Lehigh (24) and Bucknell (16) rounded out the 2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll.
Curtis and Jaworski stood out among the 32 members of the Preseason All-Patriot League team. Curtis was one of nine Leopards to make the league-leading preseason team, while Jaworski was one of eight Rams to be honored. Colgate University sent five student-athletes to the team, while the College of the Holy Cross had four student-athletes recognized. Georgetown University (three), Lehigh University (two) and Bucknell University (one) also had representatives selected.
Voting for the Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team, Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, as well as the preseason poll, was conducted by Patriot League football head coaches and sports information directors from the league's seven schools, who cannot vote for their own teams or student-athletes.
2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., RB, Waldorf, Md./St. John's College
2023 stats: 11 games played, 235 rushing total, 1,460 rushing yards, 15 rushing TDs, 19 receptions, 164 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs.
*Curtis led the Patriot League in rushing yards per game (132.7) and ranked second in the NCAA DI FCS, and also ranked second in the league and fifth nationally with 15 rushing touchdowns.
*The Waldorf, Maryland, native was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the FCS offensive player of the year.
*He was named Second Team All-America by the Associated Press and Stats Perform after rushing for 127 yards and three touchdowns against No. 12 Delaware in the FCS playoffs.
*The 2023 First Team All-Patriot League honoree rushed for more than 200 yards twice, rushing for 229 yards on 30 carries against then-No. 11 Holy Cross (Oct. 21) and 204 yards on 31 carries against Fordham (Nov. 11).
2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Matt Jaworski, Fordham, Sr., DL, Buffalo, NY/St. Louis Francis
2023 stats: Played in 11 games, 44 total tackles, 13.5 TFLs, 85 yards, 9.0 sacks, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles, one blocked kick.
*Jaworski was named to the Patriot League First Team after finishing second in the Patriot League and 12th in the NCAA DI FCS with 0.82 sacks per game.
*The Buffalo, New York native finished second in the Patriot League with 13.5 tackles for loss (TFL) and ranked third in the league and 15th nationally in forced fumbles per game (0.27).
*He was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 16, 2023, after recording two sacks and two forced fumbles in the Rams' 26-7 win over Stony Brook.
*In league play, Joworski recorded 8.5 TFLs and 5.0 sacks, ranking second in both categories. He finished the season strong with 7.5 TFLs and 5.0 sacks in the final four games of the 2023 season.
2024 Preseason All-Patriot League Football by the Numbers (2023 statistics)
Overall, 20 of last season's All-Patriot League selections were named to the 2024 Preseason All-Patriot League Team, including eight first-team selections. Curtis, Holy Cross senior running back Jordan Fuller and Colgate junior wide receiver Trayvon Sanders were all named to the preseason team after earning first-team offensive honors in 2023. Joworski and teammates James Conway (sr., LB) and Nahil Perkins (grade, DB), along with Lafayette senior defensive back Syke White, were members of the 2023 First Team Defense. Colgate senior punter Shelby Pruett was also named to the First Team following the 2023 season.
Fordham junior quarterback CJ Montez and Lafayette sophomore quarterback Dean DeNoville were named to the preseason team after being named to the second team last season. Lafayette junior wide receiver Eli Steward and senior offensive lineman Ryder Langsdale, Colgate fifth-year offensive lineman Virgil Gashi and senior offensive lineman Chance Niessener were also recognized after being named to the second team in 2023. On defense, Lafayette's Jaylon Joseph (sophomore, DL), last year's Patriot League Rookie of the Year, along with Fordham's Claudie Robinson (third, DL), Colgate's Christian Sweeney (fifth, LB), Lehigh's Mike DeNucci (fifth, LB) and Nick Pertekian (third, DB) were named to the preseason team after appearing on the second team defense last season. Junior return specialist/WR Nicholas Danneman of Georgetown University was also named to the preseason team after being selected to a 2023 second-team all-league campaign.
Preseason All Patriot League Football Classifications
The 2024 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team is led by 12 juniors and nine seniors. Seven players participated in the season as fifth-year students or graduate students, and four sophomores were selected to the Preseason All-League Team.
The Patriot League leader will return in 2024
*Fordham University junior quarterback C.J. Montez led the Patriot League last season in passing yards (3,000), passing yards per game (272.7), touchdown passes (26) and passing efficiency (153.4).
*Lafayette sophomore quarterback Dean DeNoville completed 170 of 255 passes in 12 games for the league's best completion percentage (66.7%).
*Lafayette junior running back Jamar Curtis rushed for a league-best 1,460 yards and averaged 132.7 yards per game, ranking second in the NCAA DI FCS.
*Holy Cross senior running back Jordan Fuller led the Patriot League and FCS with 18 rushing touchdowns and was one of four ballcarriers in the league to rush for more than 1,000 yards (1,046).
*Colgate junior WR Trayvon Sanders finished second in the league in receptions per game (6.2) and third in receiving yards with 859.
*Fordham senior DL Matt Jaworski finished second in the league in TFLs (13.5), sacks (9) and forced fumbles (3).
* Fordham senior linebacker James Conway leads the Patriot League with 129 tackles and his 386 career tackles are 47 away from breaking the league record of 432 set last season by Holy Cross' Jacob Dobbs.
*Lehigh University junior DB Nick Pertekian and fifth-year LB Mike DeNucci ranked third and fourth in the league in tackles last season with 91 and 87, respectively.
*Fordham DB Nahir Perkins led the league with 1.55 passes defensed per game, good for fourth in the FCS, and was tied for second in the league with three interceptions.
*Lafayette senior DB Syke White intercepted a league-leading four passes last season and returned one for a touchdown.
* Bucknell junior PK Matt Sharer made eight field goal attempts, including a 49-yarder that tied for second in the league.
*Colgate senior P Shelby Pruett led the league with 41.2 yards per punt, ranking 32nd in the FCS.
*Georgetown University junior WR/RS Nicholas Danneman led the league with 10.4 yards per punt return, ranking 19th in the FCS.
2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Survey
1. Lafayette, 72 (12 1st place votes)
2. Holy Cross, 56
3. Fordham, 53 (1)
4. Colgate, 46 (1)
5. Georgetown, 27
6. Lehigh, 24
7. Bucknell, 16
2024 Patriot League Football Preseason Major Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., RB
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Matt Jaworski, Fordham University, Sr., DL
2024 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team
Attack (13)
QB: CJ Montez, Fordham, Jr.
QB: Dean DeNobile, Lafayette, sophomore.
RB: Jamar Curtis, Lafayette Jr.
RB: Jordan Fuller, Holy Cross, Sr.
WR: Trayvon Sanders, Colgate Jr.
WR: Justin Shorter, Holy Cross, Sr.
WR: Eli Steward, Lafayette Jr.
TE: Dallas Holmes, Lafayette Jr.
OL: Valdir Gassi, Colgate, 5th place
OL: Chance Niessner, Colgate, Sr.
OL: Ryan Joyce, Fordham University, Gr.
OL: Ryder Langsdale, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: Brian Bauscia, Lafayette Jr.
Defense (13)*
DL: Matt Jaworski, Fordham University, Sr.
DL: Claudie Robinson, Fordham Jr.
DL: William Robinson, Holy Cross, So.
DL: Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, sophomore.
LB: Christian Sweeney, Colgate, 5th place
LB: Frankie Monte, Holy Cross, Sr.
LB: James Conway, Fordham, Sr.
LB: Mike DeNucci, Lehigh, 5th place
DB: Nahir Perkins, Fordham University, Gr.;
DB: Wedner Cadet, Georgetown, Jr.
DB: Syke White, Lafayette, Sr.
DB: AT Ntantan, Lafayette, 5th place
DB: Nick Pertekian, Lehigh Jr.
Special teams (6)*
K: Matt Schaerer, Bucknell Jr.
P: Shelby Pruett, Colgate, Sr.
RS: Nicholas Danneman, Georgetown, Jr.
STNS: John Scott, sophomore, Fordham University.
LS: Walker Adkinson, Fordham Jr.
LS: Sebastian Alonso, Georgetown, Gr.
*Additional student-athletes were selected due to a voting tie.
About the Patriot League
Now in its 40th year of academic and athletic excellence, the Patriot League continues to demonstrate that student-athletes can excel in both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. Patriot League success in athletics is achieved as its member schools continue to adhere to its founding philosophy of enrolling and graduating student-athletes who represent their class academically. Participation in Patriot League intramural sports is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.
