Cecchini Named Coach of Year, 11 Bison Make All-PL Team

Photo by: Jon Lambert

Cecchini Named Coach of Year, 11 Bison Make All-PL Team

4/13/2021 3:00:00 PM | Football

School Record Seven Bison Make All-PL First Team

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Head Bucknell football coach Dave Cecchini was voted as the Dick Biddle Coach of the Year, and 11 Bison made the 2021 Spring All-Patriot League Team, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.

Cecchini was recognized for leading Bucknell to a spot in the Patriot League Championship Game by winning the South Division with a 2-0 record. The Bison, who were picked to finish last in the Patriot League preseason poll, knocked off Pennsylvania rivals Lafayette (38-13) and Lehigh (6-0) to earn a date with defending champion Holy Cross in Saturday, April 17's title game. That contest, scheduled for 2 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.

Through games played on Sunday, April 11, Bucknell ranks among the FCS leaders in red-zone defense (1st, .429), rushing defense (3rd, 41.3) and scoring defense (8th, 14.7). The Bison have generated seven turnovers in just three games on five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. They also lead the Patriot League in seven individual statistical categories.

Headlining Bucknell's 2021 Spring All-Patriot League selections was linebacker Simeon Page. The senior captain became the fifth Bison to capture four All-Patriot League nods, joining running back Rich Lemon (1993-96), offensive lineman Julién Davenport (2013-16), defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson (2014-17) and punter Alex Pechin (2015, 2017-19). Page was voted to his third-straight First Team; as a freshman in 2017, he was recognized on the Second Team.

Page was joined on the 2021 Spring All-Patriot League First Team by offensive lineman P.J. Barr, defensive back Brandon Benson, return specialist Jared Cooper, defensive back Gavin Pringle, wide receiver Brandon Sanders and defensive lineman Nnamdi Unachukwu. Sanders was previously honored on the 2019 All-Patriot League First Team while Barr and Pringle made that season's Second Team. Benson, Cooper and Unachukwu are first-time honorees.

Four Bison made the 2021 Spring All-Patriot League Second Team: quarterback Logan Bitikofer, special teams non-specialist Eric Holsinger, wide receiver Dominic Lyles and linebacker Gerrit Van Itallie. Like Benson, Cooper and Unachukwu, all four were recognized for the first time.

Bucknell's seven First Team picks is its highest total in program history. Six Bison made the 1996, 2001, 2011 and 2014 First Teams. Bucknell reached the double digits in overall selections for the first time since the 2015 campaign, when 10 student-athletes were honored. The Bison's school record in total All-Patriot League honorees is 12, set first in 1995 with four First Team picks and eight Second Team selections and matched in 2011 with six First Team picks and six Second Team selections.

Sanders became the first Bucknell wide receiver to make two All-Patriot League First Teams; he is the second to make multiple All-Patriot League squads, joining Will Carter, who earned a spot on the 2014 First Team and the 2015 Second Team. Mike Guerrini made the 1988 and 1987 All-Colonial Teams; the Colonial League, then a football-only conference, became the Patriot League, an all-sports conference, in 1990. Sanders and Lyles, both juniors, are the first duo of Bison wide receivers to make an All-Patriot League Team in the same season.

Bitikofer is the first Bison quarterback to be voted to an All-Patriot League Team since Daris Wilson was honored on the 2004 First Team. Cooper is the first Bison to make an All-Patriot League Team as a return specialist since A.J. Kizekai was voted to the 2007, 2008 and 2009 squads. Holsinger is the first Bison to be recognized as an All-Patriot League special teams non-specialist; a spot on the team was given to this position beginning with the 2016 campaign.

Barr, Benson and Page are team captains along with linebacker Rick Mottram, a 2020 Campbell Trophy semifinalist. Page is the school record holder in career sacks (25.5), rookie season sacks (9) and single-game sacks (4) while Lyles and Sanders share the school standard in single-game receptions (14).

2021 Patriot League Spring Football Major Awards
Offensive Player of the Year: Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Jr., QB
Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, Jr., LB
Rookie of the Year: Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Fr., QB
Dick Biddle Coach of the Year: Dave Cecchini, Bucknell

2021 Patriot League Spring Football All-Patriot League Teams
First-Team Offense (16)*
QB: Tim DeMorat, Fordham, Jr.
RB: Trey Sneed, Fordham, Sr.
RB: Selwyn Simpson, Lafayette, Sr.
FB/H-Back: Jake Taggart, Lafayette, Sr.
WR: Brandon Sanders, Bucknell, Jr.
WR: Dequece Carter, Fordham, So.
WR: Fotis Kokosioulis, Fordham, Jr.
TE: Steven Stilianos, Lafayette, Jr.
OL: P.J. Barr, Bucknell, Sr.
OL: Jack Badovinac, Colgate, Sr.
OL: Nick Zakelj, Fordham, Sr.
OL: Phil Saleh, Fordham, Jr.
OL: Brian Foley, Holy Cross, Sr.
PK: Derek Ng, Holy Cross, Jr.
RS: Jared Cooper, Bucknell, Jr.
RS: Will Gruber, Colgate, So.

First-Team Defense (14)
DL: Nnamdi Unachukwu, Bucknell, Sr.
DL: John Coste, Fordham, Sr.
DL: Benton Whitley, Holy Cross, Sr.
DL: Malik Hamm, Lafayette, Jr.
LB: Simeon Page, Bucknell, Sr.
LB: Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham, Jr.
LB: Glenn Cunningham, Fordham, Sr.
LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, So.
DB: Gavin Pringle, Bucknell, So.
DB: Brandon Benson, Bucknell, Sr.
DB: John Smith, Holy Cross, Jr.
DB: TyGee Leach, Lehigh, Sr.
P: Jeffrey Kordenbrock, Lafayette, Sr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist (STNS): Macklin Kortebein, Holy Cross, Sr.

Second-Team Offense (16)*
QB: Logan Bitikofer, Bucknell, Sr.
RB: Peter Oliver, Holy Cross, Jr.
RB: Jaden Sutton, Lafayette, So.
WR: Dominic Lyles, Bucknell, Jr.
WR: MJ Wright, Fordham, So.
WR: Ayir Asante, Holy Cross, So.
WR: Quinn Revere, Lafayette, Sr.
TE: Alex Snyder, Lehigh, Jr.
OL: Nick Olsofka, Holy Cross, Jr.
OL: Gavin Barclay, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: John Burk, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: Chris Fournier, Lehigh, Sr.
OL: Justin Gurth, Lehigh, Jr.
PK: Jeffrey Kordenbrock, Lafayette, Sr.
RS: Tyler Purdy, Holy Cross, So.
RS: John Gay, Lafayette, So.

Second-Team Defense (16)*
DL: Jeremy Imperati, Fordham, Sr.
DL: Jordan Jackson, Holy Cross, Sr.
DL: Dan Kuznetsov, Holy Cross, Jr.
DL: Damon Washington, Lafayette, So.
LB: Gerrit Van Itallie, Bucknell, Sr.
LB: Major Jordan, Lafayette, Sr.
LB: Marco Olivas, Lafayette, So.
LB: Pete Haffner, Lehigh, Sr.
DB: Will Gruber, Colgate, Jr.
DB: Cam Blair, Fordham, Jr.
DB: Stephen Williams II, Fordham, So.
DB: Grant Holloman, Holy Cross, Sr.
DB: DaRon Gilbert, Lafayette, So.
DB: LaTreil Wimberly, Lehigh, Fr.
P: Patrick Haughney, Holy Cross, So.
Special Teams Non-Specialist (STNS): Eric Holsinger, Bucknell, So.

*Additional players were selected to the first- and second-team offense and second-team defense due to ties in voting.