Elon, N.C. – Elon University linebacker Marco Patierno and kicker Jack Berkowitz have been named Freshman All-Americans by FCS Football Central.
 
Patierno and Berkowitz were two of 49 players from 43 programs recognized with the Freshman All-American honor. The official release is available by CLICKING HERE.
 
Patierno finished the 2023 season with 68 tackles and had at least three in every game. He added 5.0 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and scored a defensive touchdown in Elon's 51-14 win over Hampton to close the regular season. In Elon's 14-6 win over then-No. 5 William & Mary, Patierno recorded a career-high 11 tackles and 1.5 for loss. In the team's 33-27 win over another No. 5 ranked team in Delaware, he had six tackles, a TFL and a fourth quarter fumble recovery that sealed the victory.
 
Berkowitz had to fill big shoes in replacing All-American kicker Skyler Davis and he did so with a tremendous freshman campaign. He was 12-of-15 on field goals and finished the year by making his last six in a row. He went 4-for-4 in Elon's 33-27 win at then-No. 5 Delaware, earning CAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week honors. He kicked a career-long 44-yarder in that victory.
 
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, Elon went 6-5 in 2023 and 6-2 in CAA Football play, just one game shy of the league championship. The Phoenix posted two wins over teams ranked in the top five in the country and went 4-1 at home in Rhodes Stadium. It was Elon's third straight winning season, the first time the program has achieved that since posting four straight from 2007-10.