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Aug. 23, 2012

Bronx, N.Y. - Carlton Koonce, Michael Martin, Patrick McGee, Brendan Melanophy, Patrick Murray, Chris Watkins and Blake Wayne have been named 2012 Fordham University football team captains it was announced by head coach Joe Moorhead, who served as a captain for Fordham as a senior in 1995, as the Rams prepare for their season opener on Thursday night, August 30th, on Jack Coffey Field at 7:00 PM.

The seven captains are the most ever for a Fordham football squad, surpassing the six-captain team of 2008.

Koonce, a senior running back, moves back to the offensive backfield in 2012 after playing wide receiver last fall. In the spring, Koonce gained 77 yards on eleven carries with two touchdowns in the 2012 Spring Game while last fall, he appeared in all eleven games as a junior, starting eight. He tied for team lead with 38 catches and four receiving touchdowns, recording 309 receiving yards on the 38 catches (8.1 yards/reception). Koonce also rushed eleven times for 77 yards and two scores and his six total touchdowns led the squad.

In 2010, Koonce appeared in all eleven games for the Rams, after transferring from Hofstra, and he rushed 38 times for 148 yards (3.9 yards/carry) with two touchdowns.

Michael Martin

Martin, a senior linebacker who was named Preseason All-Patriot League, started all eleven games as a junior in 2011, leading the team with 94 total tackles, 51 solo, including three for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had two pass breakups and one forced fumble. Martin finished sixth in the Patriot League in tackles/game (8.5) and recorded double figures in total tackles three times. He made a career-high 15 tackles, 12 solo, against Lehigh and finished with 13 stops, seven solo and one for loss, at Lafayette.

Over his career, Martin has recorded 207 total tackles, 118 solo, including eleven for loss and 6.5 sacks. He also has five career pass deflections and two interceptions.

Patrick McGee

McGee, a redshirt senior defensive lineman who capped the spring season by making four tackles, including one sack, in the 2012 Spring Game, appeared in all eleven games, starting ten at defensive tackle in 2011. He finished the season with 20 total tackles, 13 solo, including two for loss and one sack and also forced a fumble, blocked a kick and recorded a safety. McGee made four tackles including 0.5 for loss, at Penn and recorded three solo stops, including one sack, in the season finale with Holy Cross. He also made three tackles, two solo, at Colgate, and blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a safety against Lehigh.

For his Fordham career, McGee has 35 total tackles, 21 solo, including six for loss and 3.4 sacks.

Brendan Melanophy

Melanophy, a starter at safety for the past two years, was fifth on the 2011 squad with 53 total tackles, including 35 solo, and he had one tackle for loss along with two pass deflections, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble. He started every game last fall and tied for 28th in the Patriot League in tackles per game.

Over his career, Melanophy, who is a nominee for the 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, has made 125 total tackles, 88 solo, in 32 games, with one interception and five pass deflections.

Patrick Murray

Murray, a senior punter who has been named to every preseason All-America team, is coming off an outstanding junior year, one that he capped by earning earned All-America honors from three different organizations, being named to the Second Team by the Beyond Sports College Network and to the Third Team by both the Associated Press and The Sports Network. Additionally, he was named the NCAA FCS Punt Performer of the Year by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA).

In 2011, Murray punted 49 times for 2,160 yards, an average of 44.1 yards/punt, tops in the Patriot League and third best in the NCAA FCS. He landed 21 of his kicks inside the opponent's 20 this fall and had 16 of his 49 punts travel more than 50 yards, including a season-long 73-yarder. The 73 yard punt, which came at Rhode Island, tied his career-high and was the second longest punt in school history (the Fordham record is 85 yards by Len Eshmont in 1939). Murray also booted a 73-yard punt at Colgate in 2009.

Murray's 44.1 punting average was the fourth best single season average in Fordham history while his 41.4 career punting average is second on the school's all-time list and his 5,585 career punting yards in sixth.

Chris Watkins

Watkins, a senior center who served as Jonathan Sheridan's backup last fall, played in three games in 2011. He helped the Fordham passing offense rank 41st in the NCAA FCS, averaging 229.7 yards/game.

In 2010, Watkins appeared in five games as a sophomore, starting four on the offensive line. He helped the offense average 176.0 rushing yards per game, second in the Patriot League and 31st in the NCAA FBS and the Fordham offense was also ranked second in overall offense in the Patriot League (383.5 yards/game).

Blake Wayne

Wayne, a senior wide receiver, hauled in a team-high 38 passes for 349 yards (9.2 yards/reception) and one touchdown last fall while also rushing twice for five net yards. His top game came at Lafayette when he caught eleven passes for 106 yards, both career highs, and one touchdown (six yards). Wayne also had four receptions for 70 yards at Georgetown and made four catches for 31 yards at Penn.

As a sophomore in 2010, Wayne served as the starting quarterback, completing 145 of 241 passes (60.2%) for 1,614 yards and six touchdowns and he also rushed 109 times for 458 yards (4.2 yards/carry) with four scores, Wayne became the first quarterback in school history to rush for more than 100 yards in a game when he gained 108 yards on 20 carries with one touchdown (11 yards) at Holy Cross and he also completed 19 of 30 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns (six and seven yards) in the game.

The Rams open the 2012 season on Thursday, August 30th, when they host the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on Jack Coffey Field at 7:00 p.m. Fordham season and individual game tickets are now on sale. For information or to order click here or call the Ticket Office at 855-RAM-TIXS (855-716-8497) or (718) 817-4759.