Following a vote by the conference's eight head coaches, the Liberty League has revealed its 2025 Football major awards and All-League teams.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Patch Flanagan, Senior, Quarterback, Union College
Union College senior quarterback Patch Flanagan was named the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year after establishing himself as the Garnet Chargers’ and the conference’s top offensive threat. Flanagan led the league with 25 total touchdowns and averaged 271.8 yards of total offense per game. In 10 games, he threw for 1,827 yards (182.7 per game) with a 57.6 percent completion rate and 15 passing touchdowns, while also pacing Union on the ground with 891 rushing yards (89.1 per game) and 10 rushing scores. He leads the conference in passing touchdowns and total offense, ranks second in rushing yards, and sits third in both passing yards and rushing touchdowns. Flanagan is also fifth in all-purpose yards based solely on his rushing totals and became the first player in league history to finish among the top three in both passing and rushing yards. A four-time Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week honoree this season, he accounted for at least two touchdowns in eight of Union’s 10 games, including five with three or more scores. In the regular-season finale against rival RPI, where the Garnet Chargers claimed their first Liberty League title since 2019, Flanagan was nearly unstoppable, handling 75 of the team’s 79 offensive play. He finished the game 20-for-36 (55.5%) for 239 yards and two passing touchdowns through the air while rushing for 196 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Joe Spirra, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Ithaca College
For the fourth straight year, a player from the Ithaca defense has claimed the Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year award, as sophomore defensive back Joe Spirra takes home the 2025 honor. Spirra anchored an Ithaca defense that allowed a league-low 14.9 points per game and ranked second in total defense, yielding just 273.1 yards per contest. A starter in all 10 games, he led the Bombers in interceptions (2) and pass breakups (5) while finishing second in tackles (80) and tackles for loss (6.5). Spirra recorded a team-high 41 solo stops and added 39 assisted tackles, along with 6.5 tackles for loss for 22 yards, two quarterback hurries, and a nine-yard sack. He ranked among the league’s top performers, tying for fifth in passes defended (7) while placing fifth in solo tackles, sixth in total tackles, sixth in tackles per game (8.0), and tied for sixth in interceptions.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Vicente Lyon, Senior, Punter, Hobart College
For the second consecutive season, a Hobart College Statesman was named the Liberty League Special Teams Player of the Year, with senior punter Vincente Lyon recognized as the 2025 recipient. Lyon totaled 29 punts during the regular season, averaging 3.2 per game, and led the league in punting average with 42.8 yards. He recorded a league-best six punts of 50 yards or more and placed 11 inside the 20-yard line, ranking him second in the conference. His 63-yard punt at Brockport is the longest by a Liberty League player this season. Lyon’s current punting average ranks second on Hobart’s single-season list, trailing only his own record-setting 43.5 yards per game from last season. Lyon is the first Statesman to average more than 40-plus yards per punt for his career (41.3).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jeadi Higdon, Running Back, Buffalo State University
Buffalo State University first-year Jeadi Higdon earned Liberty League Rookie of the Year honors following the 2025 season. Higdon appeared in all 10 games and served as the Bengals’ top return specialist and running back. He led both the team and conference in kick return yards with 521 and was the only Liberty League player to score a touchdown on a kick return. He also ranked second in kick return yards per game (21.1) and recorded the league’s longest return at 80 yards. On the ground, Higdon paced Buffalo State with 563 rushing yards on 151 carries and added 17 receptions for 157 yards and a touchdown. He finished the year with seven total touchdowns, leading the team with 42 points. Among league leaders, he ranked sixth in rushing yards per game (56.3), tied for seventh in rushing touchdowns, 11th in overall scoring, and seventh in points per game (4.2).
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Union College – Jon Drach, Head Coach
Union College head coach Jon Drach and his staff were unanimously selected as the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year in a vote by the league’s head coaches. Drach led the Garnet Chargers to an 8-2 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark in conference play. Projected to finish fifth in the Liberty League Football Preseason Poll, Union delivered a turnaround season with five more wins than in 2024 to finish atop the conference standings to close out 2025. After opening the season with back-to-back losses, the Garnet Chargers rattled off eight straight wins, including seven against league opponents, to capture the program’s ninth Liberty League title and first since 2019. Union leads the conference in rushing offense (174.7 yards per game), while ranking second in total offense (369.6 yards per game), and third in total defense (294.1 yards per game). The Garnet Chargers also topped the league in kickoffs (42.8 net yards per game). They were also second in sacks by (25, 155 yards) and third in interceptions (8, 13.9 yards per return). With the league’s automatic bid, Union is making its 14th NCAA Tournament appearance and its second in the last three seasons. They are set to play Muhlenberg College in the first round on Saturday, November 22.