Spadola garners preseason All-America honors from The Sports Network
Posted: 07/09/2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh senior wide receiver Ryan Spadola has been named to the Sports Network Preseason All-America first team, it was announced Monday. The two-time All-American is coming off a record-setting junior season in which he caught 96 passes for 1,614 yards and 11 touchdowns. This marks the second straight season in which Spadola was named to a Sports Network Preseason All-America team.
This summer Spadola has already been tabbed as one of the top ten wide receivers in the FCS according to the Sports Network. He was also named to the College Football Performance Awards FCS Wide Receiver watch list.
Spadola followed up a breakout sophomore campaign with an outstanding junior season in which he set a school record for receptions and established Lehigh and Patriot League record for receiving yards. He added 11 touchdown receptions in 2011 for the Mountain Hawks, who went 11-2 and advanced to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals. Spadola earned his second straight first-team All-Patriot League honor and earned first team All-America laurels from the AFCA, Associated Press and the Sports Network among others.
After catching just one pass for 16 yards as a freshman, the Howell, N.J. native has totaled 174 receptions for 2,744 yards and 20 touchdowns over the last two seasons, while helping lead the Mountain Hawks to back-to-back Patriot League titles.
Last season, Spadola eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark in 11 of the 12 games he played in. Spadola caught nine passes for a then-career high 214 yards and three touchdowns in an early season win at Princeton. He later established a new career high with 216 yards on 13 catches in an October win at Fordham. Spadola also had 13 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown in Lehigh’s second round FCS Playoff win at Towson December 3. He finished 98 yards shy of the FCS single-season receiving record.
Spadola was voted as a team captain for the 2012 season. He is the only Patriot League football player on the Sports Network’s first team, and one of just three players from the league named to one of their preseason All-America teams.
The Mountain Hawks will open the 2012 season at Goodman Stadium against Monmouth September 1 at 12:30 p.m. To purchase tickets call 610-7LU-GAME or click on the link above.