Bucknell University Athletics
Milligan and Biagiarelli Earn 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team Honors
7/29/2026 7:20:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Wide receiver Sam Milligan and linebacker Brandon Biagiarelli have been named to the 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team, the league announced on Wednesday evening as a part of its 2026 Patriot League Football Preview Show.
Milligan, who has recently been named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List and the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Second Team, is entering the season with an upward momentum.
The now senior is coming off of a 2025 campaign that resulted in Patriot League First Team Special Teams Non-Specialist honors for the second season in a row as well as a Patriot League Second Team Wide Receiver nod. Milligan's standout season opened up in the Bison's game against VMI in early September where the receiver broke Bucknell's single-game receiving touchdowns record with four and found a spot a sixth in the record book in receiving yards with 192 in the same contest.
The versatile player saw time on all aspects of the field including as a wide receiver, special teams non-specialist, quarterback, running back and defensive back. He ended the 2025 season with 975 total receiving yards, ranking third in the Bucknell football record book in the category, as well as top-10 in the FCS. The wide receiver led the Patriot League in receiving touchdowns with 10, which also ranked top-10 in the FCS. Outside of his primary position of wide receiver, Milligan rushed the ball 18 times for 63 yards and one rushing touchdown. He also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, went 2-for-2 in passing and recorded seven solo tackles throughout the season.
Biagiarelli earned a spot on the 2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team following his strong 2025 season as a Bison linebacker. The Pittsburgh native started in all 12 games and recorded 104 total tackles, leading the team and ranking fourth in the Patriot League with 60 of those tackles being solo. Biagiarelli notched eight tackles for a loss and two sacks while forcing a fumble and coming up with one interception throughout the season. His season-high 12 tackles in a single game came against Cornell in October.
Alongside the Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team, the league also announced the 2026 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll. Villanova earned the top spot as it recorded 79 points and seven first-place votes with Lehigh following close behind in the second spot. Richmond and newcomer William & Mary tied for third with Lafayette, Holy Cross and Colgate following in the next three slots. Eighth in the poll also landed in a tie between Fordham and Georgetown, leaving Bucknell in the last place spot of the 2026 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll.
Below are the full 2026 All-Patriot League Football Team and Preseason Poll:
2026 Patriot League Football Preseason Poll
1. Villanova, 79 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Lehigh, 75 (3)
T3. Richmond, 57
T3. William & Mary, 57
5. Lafayette, 55
6. Holy Cross, 38
7. Colgate, 36
T8. Fordham, 19
T8. Georgetown, 19
10. Bucknell, 15
2026 Patriot League Football Major Awards
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year – Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr., RB
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Camden Byrd, Richmond, Gr., DL
2026 Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team
OFFENSE (14)*
QB: Hayden Johnson, Lehigh, Jr.
RB: Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr.
RB: Aziz Foster-Powell, Richmond, Jr.
RB: Ja'briel Mace, Villanova, Jr.
WR: Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Sr.
WR: Winston Moore, Colgate, Jr.
WR: Carson Persing, Lafayette, Sr.
WR: Braden Reed, Villanova, So.
TE: Sean McElwain, William & Mary, Sr.
OL: Cam Nolan, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Sean Wilson, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: Aidan Palmer, Lehigh, 5th-year
OL: Ronald Anderson, Richmond, Sr.
OL: Chris McCullers, Villanova, Jr.
DEFENSE (13)*
DL: Chigozie Oge-Evans, Georgetown, Sr.
DL: Camden Byrd, Richmond, Gr.
DL: Capri Martin, Villanova, Sr.
DL: Davin Dzidzienyo, William & Mary, Dl
LB: Brandon Biagiarelli, Bucknell, Jr.
LB: Trooper Price, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Andrew Osmun, Fordham, Sr.
LB: Carter Glassmyer, Richmond, Gr.
LB: Omari Bursey, Villanova, So.
DB: Tymir Wynn, Colgate, Sr.
DB: Jordan Allen, Richmond, Gr.
DB: Tayshaun Burney, Richmond, Jr.
DB: Bryce Barnes, William & Mary, Sr.
SPECIAL TEAMS: (5)
PK: Luke Vogeler, Colgate, Sr.
P: Connor Poole, Lehigh, Jr.
RS: Ja'briel Mace, Villanova, Jr.
LS: Mike Doctor, Fordham, Sr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist (STNS): Stephon Hicks, William & Mary, Jr.
*Additional student-athletes selected to offense and defense due to ties in the voting
