Senior linebacker Robert McCabe became the first major preseason award winner on Georgetown’s football team since 2001 after he was named Patriot League preseason defensive player of the year Wednesday morning.

McCabe, who was also named to the all-Patriot League first team, set a Georgetown single-season record with 134 tackles last season, good enough to lead the conference with an average of 12.2 tackles per game.

“It’s a well-deserved honor for Robert,” Head Coach Kevin Kelly said in a statement. “We all know that he’s the best defensive player in the Patriot League and it’s an honor that he’s being recognized by the other coaches and media around the league as an impact player.”

Two other Hoyas, senior cornerback Jeremy Moore and sophomore offensive lineman Mike Roland, joined McCabe on the first-ever preseason all-league team.

Moore was also named first-team all-Patriot League after the 2011 season, when he intercepted four passes for 178 yards and one touchdown. The senior, who is also Georgetown’s best kickoff returner, averaged 29.2 yards per return last season.

Roland, who started seven games as a freshman in 2011, played mostly at left guard, where he helped the Hoyas to their best offensive season since 1999.

In another announcement at the conference’s media day in Bethlehem, Pa., on Wednesday, Georgetown was tabbed fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll. Lehigh was the top pick, with 60 total votes and 11 first-place votes. The Blue and Gray picked up 33 votes, including two that named Georgetown as the league’s best team.

The football team will begin practice on Aug. 6 and travel to Davidson for its first game on Sept. 1.