Three Penn football seniors named first team All-Ivy, six total win League recognition

The Ivy League has named six Quakers to the 2019 All-Ivy football team. 

The three first team selections are all seniors: offensive lineman Greg Begnoche, running back Karekin Brooks, and defensive lineman Prince Emili. Those three are joined by three second team All-Ivy selections in sophomore wide receiver Ryan Cragun, senior linebacker Zach Evans, and junior linebacker Brian O’Neill. 

Begnoche's final season earned him his second All-Ivy recognition after earning an honorable mention in 2017. The Florida native was a leader on the line that was among the conference's best. Penn was second in the Ivy League in sacks allowed per game with 1.6, and led the Ancient Eight in rushing. Much of the success on the ground came through a fellow first team awardee in Brooks.

Brooks joined a group of only 12 other backs in program history to break 1,000 rushing yards, concluding the 2019 season with 1,003 yards rushing, nine touchdowns, and 31 receptions for over 200 yards. 

The first team selections are rounded out by Emili, who led defensive linemen in the League with 14 tackles for loss and 65 total tackles on the season. 

The second-team selections were highlighted by Evans, who ended the season leading the Quakers with 83 total tackles and tied with Emili for most solo tackles at 43. 

Fellow linebacker and second team selection Brian O’Neill was named Defensive Player of the Week following a breakout game against Brown when he recovered a fumble and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown and had two interceptions. 

Cragun, the only underclassman on the list, caught for over 885 yards and scored three touchdowns, putting him at 98.3 yards per game, good for 13th overall in the FCS.