By Jason Knavel, Associate AD for Strategic Communications | ElonPhoenix.com
Elon junior safety Caleb Curtain was named CAA Football’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and senior Chandler Brayboy was named preseason all-conference at two different positions in annual voting by the league’s head coaches. As a team, Elon was picked to finish sixth out of 16 teams among a tightly packed group of programs near the top of the league standings.
Curtain was named CAA Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, as well as preseason all-conference at safety. Brayboy was named all-conference at wide receiver and as a kick returner as well. Seventh-year senior quarterback Matthew Downing earned honorable mention as was junior defensive end Cazeem Moore.
—> FCS SPOTLIGHT: Elon safety tandem has All-America credentials
For Curtain, the preseason Defensive Player of the Year honor follows a breakout season in which the safety was named a second team All-American by FCS Stats Perform, the AFCA, the Associated Press and Phil Steele. He led Elon with 80 tackles and led CAA Football with four interceptions, returning one for a touchdown against Wake Forest. He has already been recognized this year as a preseason second team All-American by FCS Football Central and as a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
READ THE REST OF THE STORY FROM ELONPHOENIX.COM>>>
Three Campbell Camels earn preseason All-CAA
By Jason Williams, Campbell University sports information | GoCamels.com
Three Camels have been selected to 2024 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference teams, while Campbell was picked 11th in the league’s coaches’ poll.
CJ Tillman, a senior linebacker, was named Preseason All-CAA, while VJ Wilkins, a sophomore wide receiver and return specialist, and Bobby Cleary, a senior long snapper, took honorable mention accolades.
—> FCS SPOTLIGHT: Campbell senior CJ Tillman has been a tackling machine
Villanova, which earned a share of the 2023 CAA Championship and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs last season, was voted as the 2024 preseason favorite by the league’s head coaches. The Wildcats received nine of the available 16 first place votes and totaled 217 points, while Richmond took second with one first place tally and 189 points.
UAlbany garnered three first place votes and finished third with 179 points, followed by William & Mary (175 points) and Delaware (163), which also picked up three first place nods. Elon (157) was chosen sixth, followed by New Hampshire (150), Rhode Island (142), Towson (114), Monmouth (95), Campbell (83), Hampton (62), Maine (57), North Carolina A&T (49), Bryant (46) and Stony Brook (42).
READ THE REST OF THE STORY FROM GOCAMELS.COM>>>
2024 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
OFFENSE
- Name, School / Cl. / Pos.
- Connor Watkins, Villanova / Gr. / QB
- Elijah Burris, Hampton / Sr. / RB
- Griffin Woodell, UAlbany / So. / RB
- Marcus Yarns, Delaware / Gr. / RB
- Bronson Yoder, William & Mary / Sr. / RB
- Trey McDonald, William & Mary / Jr. / FB/HB
- Carter Runyon, Towson / Sr. / TE
- Chandler Brayboy, Elon / Sr. / WR
- Nick DeGennaro, Richmond / Sr. / WR
- Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook / So. / WR
- Temi Ajirotutu, Villanova / Gr. / OL
- Fintan Brose, Delaware / Gr. / OL
- Charles Grant, William & Mary / Sr. / OL
- Ozzie Hutchinson, UAlbany / Gr. / OL
- Will Marotta, UAlbany / Gr. / OL
- Ralph Paige, Jr., Towson / Sr. / OL
DEFENSE
- Name, School / Cl. / Pos.
- Jeremiah Grant, Richmond / Sr. / DL
- Westley Neal, Jr., Rhode Island / Sr. / DL
- Michael Otty, Bryant / Sr. / DL
- Dylan Ruiz, New Hampshire / Sr. / DL
- Josiah Silver, New Hampshire / Sr. / DL
- Brendan Bell, Villanova / Gr. / LB
- Shane Hartzell, Villanova / Jr. / LB
- A.J. Pena, Rhode Island / Jr. / LB
- CJ Tillman, Campbell / Sr. / LB
- Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T / Jr. / CB
- Isas Waxter, Villanova / Gr. / CB
- Caleb Curtain, Elon / Jr. / S
- Ty Trinh, Villanova / Gr. / S
SPECIAL TEAMS
- Name, School / Cl. / Pos.
- Chandler Brayboy, Elon / Sr. / KR
- Gabe Sloat, Rhode Island / Sr. / PR
- Keegan Vaughan, Towson / Sr. / PK
- Aaron Trusler, Richmond / Gr. / P
- Jabril Hayes, Richmond / Sr. / SPEC
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Connor Watkins, QB, Villanova
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Caleb Curtain, S, Elon
HONORABLE MENTION: Matthew Downing, QB, Elon; Derek Robertson, QB, Monmouth; Malachi Imoh, RB, William & Mary; Marquis Buchanan, WR, Rhode Island; Joe Gillette, WR, Maine; Jaylan Sanchez, WR, Villanova; Logan Tomlinson, WR, New Hampshire; Cooper Heisey, TE, Maine; Ryan McKenna, OL, William & Mary; Dion Crews-Harris, DL, Towson; Cazeem Moore, DL, Elon; Wayne Galloway, LB, Richmond; Ryan Toscano, LB, New Hampshire; Tyron Herring, CB, Delaware; Marcus Barnes, S, William & Mary; JoJo Bermudez, KR, Delaware; TJ Speight, KR, Monmouth; VJ Wilkins, KR, Campbell; John Opalko, PK, UAlbany; Josh Cupitt, P, Delaware; Bobby Cleary, SPEC, Campbell
2024 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
- (Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
- 1. Villanova (9 first place votes) 217
- 2. Richmond (1) 189
- 3. UAlbany (3) 179
- 4. William & Mary 175
- 5. Delaware (3) 163
- 6. Elon 157
- 7. New Hampshire 150
- 8. Rhode Island 142
- 9. Towson 114
- 10. Monmouth 95
- 11. Campbell 83
- 12. Hampton 62
- 13. Maine 57
- 14. North Carolina A&T 49
- 15. Bryant 46
- 16. Stony Brook 42
