10/20/2026 1:05:00 PM | Football
Coleman is one of 30 finalists given to the NCAA FCS Freshman of the Year
NEW YORK — Columbia first-year wide receiver Bryce Coleman is on Stats Perform's 2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List, which recognizes standout freshmen across the Football Championship Subdivision.
Coleman has put together one of the most productive starts by a first-year player in the country. In five games, the Los Angeles native leads the Ivy League in receiving touchdowns with eight, also ranking fourth and first among freshmen nationally. His eight receiving scores are a Columbia first-year record.
Coleman is second in the Ivy League with 453 receiving yards. He is averaging 90.6 receiving yards per game, which ranks eighth in the FCS.
Coleman has also been named Ivy League Rookie of the Week three times.
Coleman is also making history within the Columbia program. He is the third player in program history to record a receiving touchdown in five consecutive games, joining Josh Wainwright (2016-17) and Bill Reggio (1982).
The Jerry Rice Award honors the FCS freshman player of the year and is one of six awards that make up the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. The 2026 watch list includes 30 players, matching the largest list in the award's 16-year history. True freshmen and redshirt freshmen are eligible, and a national media panel will select the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.
The award is named after Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, who starred at Mississippi Valley State. Past Jerry Rice Award winners include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
Columbia returns to Robert K. Kraft Field next Saturday, October 24, to take on Dartmouth for Homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
Tickets are available starting at $20. To purchase, click here or call 888-LIONS-11.
FOLLOW THE LIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the Columbia football team, follow @CULionsFB on X, Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Coleman has put together one of the most productive starts by a first-year player in the country. In five games, the Los Angeles native leads the Ivy League in receiving touchdowns with eight, also ranking fourth and first among freshmen nationally. His eight receiving scores are a Columbia first-year record.
Coleman is second in the Ivy League with 453 receiving yards. He is averaging 90.6 receiving yards per game, which ranks eighth in the FCS.
Coleman has also been named Ivy League Rookie of the Week three times.
Coleman is also making history within the Columbia program. He is the third player in program history to record a receiving touchdown in five consecutive games, joining Josh Wainwright (2016-17) and Bill Reggio (1982).
The Jerry Rice Award honors the FCS freshman player of the year and is one of six awards that make up the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. The 2026 watch list includes 30 players, matching the largest list in the award's 16-year history. True freshmen and redshirt freshmen are eligible, and a national media panel will select the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.
The award is named after Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, who starred at Mississippi Valley State. Past Jerry Rice Award winners include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
Columbia returns to Robert K. Kraft Field next Saturday, October 24, to take on Dartmouth for Homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
Tickets are available starting at $20. To purchase, click here or call 888-LIONS-11.
FOLLOW THE LIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the Columbia football team, follow @CULionsFB on X, Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
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