PHILADELPHIA – 14 University of Pennsylvania football players have been named All-Ivy at the conclusion of the 2017 season.
 
The Quakers picked up the third-most All-Ivy selections of any Ancient Eight program and Penn's five first-team All-Ivy selections are second-most in the League.
 
First-Team All-Ivy
Justin Watson* (WR)
Nathan Kirchmier (OL)
Louis Vecchio (DL)
Nick Miller (LB)
Jack Soslow (K)
*Unanimous Selection
 
Second-Team All-Ivy
Tommy Dennis (OL)
Tre Solomon (RB)
Nicholas Bokun (TE)
Sam Philippi (S)
 
Honorable Mention All-Ivy
Greg Begnoche (OL)
Karekin Brooks (RB)
Jay Cammon, Jr. (LB)
Colton Moskal (LB)
Hunter Kelley (P)
 
All-Ivy Notes

• Justin Watson is the sixth player in program history to earn three career first-team All-Ivy selections and the first since Brandon Copeland from 2010-12. He is the first player to earn three career unanimous first-team All-Ivy selections.
• Watson is the sixth wide receiver in Ivy League history to earn three career first-team All-Ivy selections and the first since Brown's Buddy Farnham from 2007-09.
• Penn had two running backs named All-Ivy for the first time since 1998 when Jim Finn (first team) and Brian Cosmello (second team) were selected.
• Eight of Penn's 14 All-Ivy selections were also All-Ivy honorees last season. Watson and Louis Vecchio are repeat first-team All-Ivy selections.
• Jack Soslow is the first Penn kicker to earn first-team All-Ivy honors since Andrew Samson in 2008.
• 9 of Penn's 14 All-Ivy selections this season will return for 2018.

 
About Penn's 2017 All-Ivy Selections…

Justin Watson (1st) – The greatest wide receiver in program history, Justin Watson set Penn's single-season receiving touchdown record with 14 this season. In the process, he became the first player in Ivy League history with at least one touchdown reception in all 10 games – the longest active streak of game with a touchdown catch in all of FCS football. Also during the course of the season, Watson set Ivy League records for consecutive games with a receptions (40) and most career 100-yard games (18). Watson accounted for all nine of Penn's receiving touchdowns in Ivy League play, and accounted for 47.6% of Penn's total receptions – most of any player in Division I football (FBS or FCS). His accounting for 50.5% of Penn's total receiving yards was No. 1 in the FCS and No. 2 overall in Division I football. A finalist for the Walter Payton Award as FCS Offensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row, Watson finished 2017 with 81 catches (No. 4 in a season by a Quaker), 1,083 yards (No. 3) and 14 TDs (No. 1).
 
Nathan Kirchmier (1st) – One of two Penn offensive lineman to play all 667 snaps this season, Kirchmier started all 10 games at center for the second year in a row. He led the Quakers with 69.5 knockdowns and four pancake blocks while making the calls for an offensive line that allowed 13 sacks over 10 games and blocked for the second-leading rushing attack among Ivy programs.
 
Nick Miller (1st) – The Ivy League's leader in solo tackles (66) and solo tackles (104), Miller registered the most tackles by a Penn player since 1997. Miller's 6.6 solo tackles per game rank No. 5 in FCS football and his 10.4 tackles per game rank No. 9. Miller was disruptive all season, leading the Ivy League and tied for No. 1 in FCS with four fumble recoveries while adding three sacks (tied for the team lead) and a pair of interceptions – including one returned for a touchdown.
 
Louis Vecchio (1st) – A first-team All-Ivy selections for the second year in a row, Vecchio led Penn with 8.5 tackles for loss while tying for tops on the team with 3.0 sacks. He was third among Ivy defensive lineman in tackles for loss and ranked seventh on the team in total tackles with 36. His four passes broken up were most among Ivy defensive linemen.
 
Jack Soslow (1st) – The Ivy League's leader in field goals made (10) and field goal percentage (83.3), Soslow was 36-for-36 on PATs to finish the season with 66 points scored. His 51-yard field goal at Brown was the third-longest in Penn history and longest since 1979 while also ranking No. 16 all-time by an Ivy Leaguer. Soslow also averaged 57.6 yards on his 55 kickoffs, and positioned opponents in a way which resulted in just 19.5 yards per kickoff return.
 
Tommy Dennis (2nd) – In his first season at left tackle for the Quakers, Dennis was one of two offensive linemen to play all 667 offensive snaps. He allowed 0 sacks over 269 pass attempts and his man made the tackle only 8.5 times – fewest among Penn offensive linemen.
 
Tre Solomon (2nd) – Tre Solomon averaged 78.2 yards per game over his six Ivy League games – second-most in the Ivy League. For the season, he averaged 71.4 yards over seven games with three touchdowns – including the game-winner in the season finale against Cornell. For his career, Solomon ranks No. 10 all-time at Penn with 2,005 rushing yards and No. 5 in yards-per-carry with 5.1.
 
Nicholas Bokun (2nd) – It was a career year for Bokun as he set personal single-season bests in receptions (20), yards (289) and touchdowns (2) – eclipsing his totals for his previous three years in all three categories.
 
Sam Philippi (2nd) – A second-team All-Ivy selection for the second year in a row, Sam Philippi was a disruptive presence in the secondary all season. He ranked No. 2 on the team and No. 8 in FCS in fumble recoveries with three and his five pass breakups tied for tops on the team. In addition he was third on the Quakers with 30 solo tackles and fourth in total tackles with 47.
 
Greg Begnoche (HM) – On the field for 656 of Penn's 667 snaps despite not practicing for much of the final three weeks of the season, Greg Begnoche stepped right in at right tackle in his first season with significant playing time. The sophomore had 39.5 knockdowns and allowed just 1.5 sacks while helping bock for the Ivy League's second-best rushing attack.
 
Karekin Brooks (HM) – The Ivy League's second-leading rusher for the season, Karekin Brooks finished 2017 with 840 yards and nine rushing TDs. His 6.7 yards-per-carry rank No. 2 in the Ivy League and No. 5 in the FCS while his 84.0 yard per game rank No. 25 among all FCS running backs. Brooks announced his presence with a 267-yard performance at Lehigh, finishing just five yards away from the Penn single-game record.
 
Jay Cammon, Jr. (HM) – Third on the Quakers with 50 total tackles, Cammon was second among Penn defenders with 31 solo stops. A big hitter, Cammon tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles while also breaking up four passes.
 
Colton Moskal (HM) – An All-Ivy selection for the second year in a row, Moskal was second on the team in tackles with 60 despite missing one game with injury. He had 4.0 total tackles for loss, including two sacks.
 
Hunter Kelley (HM) – A second straight All-Ivy selection came Kelley's way after he ranked No. 2 among Ivy punters in average (40.5). Called upon just 39 times – the fewest among Ivy punters – Kelley dropped 13 of his 39 punts inside the 20 and only had two go for touchbacks.