With the opening of camp one day away, Fordham University senior running back Chase Edmonds picked up another preseason accolade, being named first team STATS NCAA FCS All-American it was announced Tusday.
Edmonds, a 2016 consensus first team All-American who was also named the 2017 Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, finished fourth in voting for the 2016 Walter Payton Award. He led the NCAA FCS in rushing yards per game (163.5) and was second in total rushing yards as well as ranking second in all-purpose yards per game (194.6) and third in rushing touchdowns.
The 1,799 yards was just 39 yards shy of Edmonds’ school single season record set in 2014.
Against Lafayette on October 8, Edmonds rushed for a school and Patriot League record 359 yards (the most by an NCAA Division I player last year) on just 17 carries, averaging 21.1 yards per carry, setting an NCAA FCS record for most yards gained per rush in a game. The former mark was 19.07 set by VMI’s Gene Brown in 1988. Edmonds surpassed his own school and Patriot League record of 347 yards, set in 2015 against Lehigh.
Over his three-year career, Edmonds has rushed for a school record 5,285 yards, just 336 yards shy of Jordan Scott’s Patriot League career record of 5,621 yards. He has 62 career rushing touchdowns and 69 overall career touchdowns, both school and Patriot League records.
The Rams reported for camp on Tuesday, August 1, and will have their first practice on Wednesday, August 2. Fordham opens the 2017 season on Friday night, September 1, as the Rams travel to West Point, N.Y. to face the Army West Point Black Knights at 6:00 p.m.
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