NEW YORK—Columbia University concluded its 2018 preseason camp with its sixth annual Columbia Football Players Club Alumni Player Draft and Kickoff Barbecue Saturday at Columbia's Baker Athletics Complex.
 
Prior to the Kickoff Barbecue, the Columbia Football Players Club held its Alumni Player Draft in the Milstein Pavilion at Campbell Sports Center. As part of the event, members of the Columbia Football Players Club draft first-year members of the Columbia team to mentor throughout their four years at Columbia. On Saturday, 39 first-years were "drafted" by over 50 participating alumni members. Players were selected through a mock NFL Draft and several alumni members attended the draft via conference call. Participants could "improve" their position in the draft by donating money in order to move up in draft position. Following the conclusion of the draft, alumni attended the team's Kickoff Barbecue and met their draftees.
 
The Alumni Player Draft immediately connects multiple decades of players, provides mentorship and guidance to the current Columbia student-athletes, allows for career guidance and is an inexpensive way for football alums to stay involved.
 
"It occurred to us several years ago that it wasn't good enough for us alumni football players to just sit and watch from the stands, we wanted to be more involved with the program," Columbia Football Players Club President Peter Leone '83CC said. "One of the ways for us to achieve that was to connect current and former players and create relationships. This is the sixth year that we've done this. With new first-year players, we draft each player, then we connect with them much like a big brother or a mentor. We develop relationships with the players over a four-year period and we stay connected with them forever. We provide some tangible things like job placement, networking and professional contacts. We are trying to get alums back in the program and this is a great way for us to stay involved."
 
Columbia Director of Football Administration Greg Lamb welcomed everyone to the event. Then Columbia Associate Athletic Director for Athletics Communications and Public Relations Greg Hotchkiss opened the draft. Hotchkiss served as the emcee for the draft and announced trades and alumni picks. Leone ended the event with some business notes and closing remarks.
 
Columbia Football alumni members who attended and/or participated in Saturday's event included Charles Britton '05CC, Matt Cahal '16CC, Wells Childress '14CC, Frank Cicero '92CC, Craig Codash '90CC, Zach Dansby '18SEAS, Jordan Davis '09CC, Ralph DeBernardo '09CC, Turner DeMuth '18CC, David Donovan '18CC, Toure Douglas '17CC, Cameron Dunn '17CC, Hamilton Garner '14CC, Ted Gregory '74CC, Connor Heeb '18CC, Anders Hill '18CC, Tyler Holmes '18CC, James Hurt '16CC, Don Jackson '73CC, Matt Jalandoni '05CC, Derek Jancisin '10CC, Ben Kaplan '17CC, Jared Katz '17CC, Brock Kenyon '17CC, Nick Leone '88CC, Peter Leone '83CC, Brian Lysiak '02CC, Chris Meininger '83CC, Evan Miller '12CC, Louis Miller '10CC, Ross Morand '12CC, Paul Myers '85CC, Tom Nevitt '82CC, Willie Peoples '17CC, Dominick Perkovic '18CC, Ray Pesanello '15CC, Bailey Popeck '18CC, Gianmarco Rea '17CC, Hal Robertson '81SEAS, Nick Rudd '05CC, A.J. Sabatelle '80CC, Chris Schroer '18CC, Matt Sodl '88CC, Reid Stables '18CC, Kyle Stupi '12CC, Hank Trumbull '16CC, Tom Tryforos '81CC, Ian Tyler '18CC, Bewley Wales '18CC and Kevin Ward '74CC.
 
Each year, Lamb organizes and manages the yearly event.
 
"We couldn't do this without Greg Lamb's assistance and work," Charles Britton said '05CC. "He does a great job of organizing everything."
 
The Columbia Football Players Club provides for various annual events for the Columbia Football Program. The purpose of the Columbia Football Players Club is to raise money, support the Lions on the field and communicate with alumni and current players on the field.
 
While the player draft was being conducted in the Campbell Sports Center, the Lions went through a walk-through situational practice Saturday morning at Robert K. Kraft Field. The Lions will have positional group meetings on Sunday. Game week practices begin on Tuesday.
 
Columbia opens its 128^th season of football next Saturday at Central Connecticut State. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. at Arute Field in New Britain, Conn. The contest will be televised on NEC Front Row and Columbia's Radio Broadcast team will provide a radio call.
 
Football season tickets, single-game tickets, and 2018-19 True Blue ticket packages remain on sale! Click here or call 888-LIONS-11 to purchase your football single-game tickets, season tickets or True Blue package today!