CAA FOOTBALL ENTERS 2010 WITH A WEALTH OF HONORS
RICHMOND, Va. (August 24, 2010) -- The College Sporting News (CSN) released its Preseason All-Americans late last night, signalling the 2010 season is right around the corner. CAA Football comes into this season with loads of preseason accolades, and the talent behind those accolades gives indication the league could be in for more success come the postseason.
Throughout the summer months and into the preseason camp schedules numerous publications announced Top 25 polls and ratings. CAA Football had a top-rated squad in seven of the eight preseason rankings. Villanova is the consensus No. 1 heading into its season-opener next Friday against Temple when looking at The Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25 and the FCS Coaches Poll. The Wildcats also garnered the top-spot in four other preseason polls and rankings. William and Mary also earned a preseason No. 1 ranking in Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, while the Tribe was among the Top-10 in six other preseason publications. The league showed on average six squads among the preseason Top 25, while Athlon Sports’ preview had seven CAA Football teams among its Top 25.
Individually the league also garnered numerous All-America honors. CAA Football returns eight All-Americans from the 2009 season, all of which earned preseason recognition heading into the 2010 campaign. Headlining this season’s Preseason All-Americans were Villanova’s Ben Ijalana (OL) and Matt Szczur (WR/RS) along with Richmond’s Martin Parker (DL). All three earned First Team recognition from six different publications during this offseason.
Take a look at the combined list of preseason rankings and individual honors for CAA Football below.
CAA Football’s 2010 regular season is set to kick off Sept. 2 with four non-conference contests as Delaware, Maine, Rhode Island and Towson will all be in action. The first CAA Football league contest is later that same weekend when Massachusetts hosts William and Mary at 3:30 p.m., Sept. 4 on The Comcast Network, Comcast SportsNet New England and Cox11 in Williamsburg.
CAA Football is blogging at caafootballblog.com...be sure to checkout the official blog of CAA Football to find all sorts of information that might not be at CAASports.com. CAA Football is also on Twitter...Fans from all 10 schools can get up-to-date information by following the league at twitter.com/The_CAAFootball.
CAA Football will tweet throughout this offseason and continue into the
2010 fall season. The league is also active in the new media area and
encourages fans to visit us on YouTube: youtube.com/CAAFootball. Logon now and subscribe to see the latest video productions from CAA Football.
The Sports Network/Fathead.com Top 25:
1. Villanova
4. William and Mary
6. Richmond
10. New Hampshire
15. James Madison
16. Delaware
FCS Coaches Top 25:
1. Villanova
4. William and Mary
6. Richmond
9. New Hampshire
15. James Madison
19. Delaware
Phil Steele Preseason Top 25:
1. William and Mary
3. Villanova
8. James Madison
15. Delaware
17. Richmond
28. New Hampshire
38. Maine
Sporting News Preseason Top 25:
1. Villanova
5. Richmond
8. James Madison
10. New Hampshire
13. William and Mary
18. Delaware
Lindy’s Preseason Top 25:
1. Villanova
3. Richmond
10. William and Mary
18. Delaware
22. New Hampshire
Athlon Sports Preseason Top 25:
1. Villanova
3. Richmond
5. William and Mary
11. James Madison
14. New Hampshire
16. Delaware
22. Maine
AnyGivenSaturday.com Preseason Poll:
1. Villanova
4. William and Mary
6. New Hampshire
8. Richmond
15. Delaware
16. James Madison
USA Today College Football Sports Weekly Top 25:
3. Villanova
5. Richmond
6. New Hampshire
7. William and Mary
16. Delaware
17. James Madison
The Sports Network Preseason All-America Honors:
First Team
Matt Szczur, Villanova, WR, Sr.
Ben Ijalana, Villanova, T, Sr.
Martin Parker, Richmond, DT, Sr.
Terence Thomas, Villanova, LB, Sr.
Second Team
Jonathan Grimes, William and Mary, RB, Jr.
Tyler Holmes, Massachusetts, LB, Jr.
Eric McBride, Richmond, LB, Sr.
Justin Rogers, Richmond, CB, Sr.
Third Team
Rob Damon, Rhode Island, LB, Sr.
Jake Trantin, William and Mary, LB, Jr.
College Sporting News Preseason All-America Team:
First Team
AP - Matt Szczur, Villanova
T - Ben Ijalana, Villanova
DT - Martin Parker, Richmond
LB - Eric McBride, Richmond
CB - Justin Rogers, Richmond
DB - Dino Vasso, New Hampshire
Second Team
QB - Pat Devlin, Delaware
AP - Jonathan Grimes, William & Mary
C - Drew Lachenmeyer, Richmond
DT - Mike Stover, William & Mary
LB - Terence Thomas, Villanova
SS - John Dempsey, Villanova
Third Team
DB - B.W. Webb, William & Mary
Phil Steele Preseason All-America Team:
First Team
WR – Matt Szczur, Villanova
OL – Ben Ijalana, Villanova
DL – Martin Parker, Richmond
LB – Eric McBride, Richmond
Second Team
QB – Pat Devlin, Delaware
RB – Jonathan Grimes, William and Mary
LB – Jake Trantin, William and Mary
CB – Justin Rogers, Richmond
KR – Matt Szczur, Villanova
Third Team
OL – Drew Lachenmayer, Richmond
LB – Tyler Holmes, Massachusetts
Sporting News Preseason All-America Team:
OL – Ben Ijalana, Villanova
WR – Matt Szczur, Villanova
DL – Martin Parker, Richmond
LB – Terence Thomas, Villanova
Lindy’s Preseason All-America Team:
First Team
OL – Ben Ijalana, Villanova
AP – Matt Szczur, Villanova
DL – Martin Parker, Richmond
Second Team
LB – Terence Thomas, Villanova
Athlon Sports Preseason All-America Team:
WR – Matt Szczur, Villanova
OL – Ben Ijalana, Villanova
DL – Martin Parker, Richmond
LB – Tyler Holmes, Massachusetts
LB – Terence Thomas, Villanova
CB – Justin Rogers, Richmond