Spadola nets another preseason honor, this one from CSN
Posted: 07/30/2012 | Last updated: July 31, 2012 at 08:36 AM
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – With one week remaining until the Lehigh football team opens preseason camp, senior wide receiver Ryan Spadola picked up another preseason accolade as he was named to the College Sporting News Preseason All-America second team on Monday.
This most recent recognition capped an award-filled month of July for Spadola, who last week was named Preseason Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year. Earlier in July Spadola was named a first-team Preseason All-American by the Sports Network and was one of 20 players named to the watch list for the Walter Payton Award, given to the outstanding player in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Spadola enters his senior season as a two-time postseason All-American, earning third team honors from the Sports Network in 2010, and garnering numerous first team accolades following a stellar junior campaign a year ago. He is coming off a record-setting season in which he caught a school record 96 passes for a Lehigh and Patriot League record 1,614 yards. Spadola added 11 touchdown receptions and was named a first team All-Patriot League selection for the second straight year, while also earning first team All-America honors from the AFCA, Associated Press and the Sports Network among others.
Last year, Spadola fell just 98 yards short of the FCS single-season receiving record while playing in 12 of 13 games for the Mountain Hawks, who won their second straight Patriot League Championship and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals for the first time since 2001. Spadola caught nine passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns in an early season win at Princeton and later established a new career high with 216 receiving yards on 13 catches in a mid-October win at Fordham. He also came up big in Lehigh’s second round FCS playoff win at Towson on December 3.
A team captain, Spadola enters his senior season with 175 career receptions for 2,760 yards and 20 touchdowns.
The College Sporting News All-America team featured 100 student-athletes split among three teams. Spadola is one of three Patriot Leaguers recognized. Fordham punter Patrick Murray joined Spadola on the second team, while Georgetown cornerback Jeremy Moore was named to the third team.
The Mountain Hawks will open preseason camp next week as they gear up for the 2012 season, which begins Saturday September 1 when Lehigh hosts Monmouth at Goodman Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or online at Lehighsports.com.