Four Golden Rams Gridders Dot USA College Football DII Preseason All-America List

NEW YORK – West Chester University's nationally ranked football squad landed four members on the 26th Annual USA College Football Division II Preseason All-America team it was announced Wednesday.
 
Three first team honorees and one second team pick represented the Golden Rams. Senior RB Brandon Monk (West Grove, Pa./Avon Grove), senior TE Tim Brown (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) and junior DE Andrew Cohen (Holland, Pa./Council Rock South) were all first team nods while senior Eddie Elliott (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) was a second team selection.
 
The USA College Football All-America teams are voted on by the Metropolitan (NY) Football Writers' Association and represents the top four percent of returning players from the NCAA's 168 Division II football programs.
 
Monk led the Golden Rams in rushing last season with a career-high 1,296 yards, which ranked third in the PSAC and 20th in all Division II, and nine touchdowns. He averaged nearly 100 yards rushing per game (99.7) and 6.1 yards per carry in 2014. He ranks 17th all-time at WCU in rushing yards entering his senior season with 2,026 career rushing yards. He also ranks sixth all-time at West Chester in all-purpose yards (4,226). The dual threat also averaged 25.3 yards per kickoff return in 12 attempts. Monk averages 27.3 yards per kickoff return in his college career (51 returns), which is the school's all-time mark entering his senior year.
 
Brown had a breakout season in 2014, catching 53 passes for a team-best 1,059 yards and 17 TDs. His numbers for both yards receiving and touchdown catches are single-season highs for tight ends in school history and were tops in Division II among fellow tight ends as well. He averaged 20 yards per catch and 81.5 yards per game last fall. Brown was named to both the 2014 D2Football.com and Don Hansen FB Gazette first team All-America squads at the conclusion of last year.
 
Cohen registered 65 total tackles in 2015, including 20.5 tackles for a loss of which 10.5 of those were QB sacks, and finished fourth on the team in tackles. His 20.5 TFL's and 10.5 sacks each ranked third in the PSAC a year ago. He also posted four pass breakups and was credited with eight QB hurries. His 20 career sacks is just half-of-a-sack behind the school's all-time leader while he also ranks fourth all-time in tackles for a loss (36) with one year left.
 
Elliott finished second on the team in rushing with 639 yards on the ground and five rushing TD's. He was also fourth on the team in catches with 26. The versatile back caught for 328 yards and one TD.
 
West Chester (11-2), ranked 16th nationally in Lindy's Preseason Rankings and 18th by The Sporting News, opens its 2015 slate against Lenoir-Rhyne (14th/19th) on Thursday, Sept. 3 inside John A. Farrell Stadium.