Army West Point Athletics
Football’s Small and Gennarelli Named to Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List
August 11, 2026 | Football
HOUSTON – Army West Point football offensive linemen Brady Small and Paolo Gennarelli have been named to the Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List.
The Lombardi Award™ was established in 1970 by the Rotary Club of Houston in memory of legendary coach Vince Lombardi. It is presented to outstanding linemen and linebackers who best epitomize his values of leadership, courage, performance, and discipline on and off the field.
The 2026 list features a balanced mix of offensive and defensive standouts across eligible positions, strong representation from the nation's top conferences, and high-level talent from the Group of Five and Independents.
Small has started in all 39 career games played in since his freshman campaign in 2023. The center helped Army's offensive line win the 2024 Joe Moore Award for Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football, the first Group-5 school to win the award. The two-time American Conference First Team All-Conference member has also been named a team captain for 2026, while previously being named to the Outland and Rimington Trophy Watch Lists this preseason.
Alongside Small, Gennarelli at right tackle helped block for 3,485 rushing yards on the season and was part of a unit which allowed just seven sacks on the year, a metric that was best in all of FBS.
The 2026 Lombardi Award dinner is scheduled for December 9, 2026, with net proceeds from gala sponsorships, table sales and surrounding events dedicated to supporting cancer research.
Army opens the 2026 season on Sept. 5 vs. Bryant at Michie Stadium. Season and single-game tickets are on-sale here.
The Lombardi Award™ was established in 1970 by the Rotary Club of Houston in memory of legendary coach Vince Lombardi. It is presented to outstanding linemen and linebackers who best epitomize his values of leadership, courage, performance, and discipline on and off the field.
The 2026 list features a balanced mix of offensive and defensive standouts across eligible positions, strong representation from the nation's top conferences, and high-level talent from the Group of Five and Independents.
Small has started in all 39 career games played in since his freshman campaign in 2023. The center helped Army's offensive line win the 2024 Joe Moore Award for Most Outstanding Offensive Line Unit in College Football, the first Group-5 school to win the award. The two-time American Conference First Team All-Conference member has also been named a team captain for 2026, while previously being named to the Outland and Rimington Trophy Watch Lists this preseason.
Alongside Small, Gennarelli at right tackle helped block for 3,485 rushing yards on the season and was part of a unit which allowed just seven sacks on the year, a metric that was best in all of FBS.
The 2026 Lombardi Award dinner is scheduled for December 9, 2026, with net proceeds from gala sponsorships, table sales and surrounding events dedicated to supporting cancer research.
Army opens the 2026 season on Sept. 5 vs. Bryant at Michie Stadium. Season and single-game tickets are on-sale here.
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballFriday, August 07
Friday, July 24
Friday, June 12
Wednesday, May 27