Virginia State enters the 2015 season as the defending CIAA Champion, but it looks like they still have some proving to do.
The defending champs find themselves predicted to win their division, but finish second in the conference to Winston-Salem State, the team it beat for the CIAA Championship last year.
1st – Winston-Salem State University
2nd – Virginia State University
3rd – Virginia Union University
4th – Fayetteville State University
5th – Bowie State University
6th – Elizabeth City State University
7th – Livingstone College
8th – Shaw University
9th – Chowan University
10th – Johnson C. Smith University
11th – Saint Augustine’s University
12th – The Lincoln University
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js The Trojans find themselves ranked second despite bringing back its top two quarterbacks, one who won the CIAA Championship (Niko Johnson) and another who won a Division II (Tarian Ayers) playoff game. It also brings back two of the league’s best offenseive players in running back Kavon Bellamy and Javion Smallwood, as well as most of a defensive unit that was dominant at times.
“It’s just rankings. Two years ago were where ranked in the bottom, and we were actually going to play in the championship game,” defensive lineman Ray Prosise said. “We don’t pay attention to that.”
“We’ve always got to keep that chip on our shoulder,” receiver Javion Smallwood told HBCU Gameday. “Because there’s a big target on our shoulder, now that we’ve won the CIAA Championship.”
Winston-Salem State, conversely, will be looking to replace its top two quarterbacks, as Phillip Sims is competing for a job with the Arizona Cardinals and Rudy Johnson has exhausted his eligibility. WSSU also lost all 11 starters from last years’ defense,
Despite all the holes to fill, WSSU head coach Kienus Boulware is confident his team can keep up its winning ways. But after last year’s championship game disappointment, he knows nothing is given.
“It’s always good to be ranked no. 1…but as you can tell from last year’s predictions, it doesn’t always end that way,” Boulware said. “We’re going to put together a good show. We’re gonna be very competitive and we’re gonna try to make it back to the CIAA Championship Game and hopefully to the CIAA playoffs.”
| TE | #85 | AJ Mundle | ECSU | 6-1 | 230 | Sr. | Fremont, NC |
| OL | #60 | Addison Hayes* | VUU | 6-2 | 314 | Sr. | Savannah, GA |
| OL | #75 | Jhamil Haley | VSU | 6-3 | 280 | Jr. | Portsmouth, VA |
| OL | #62 | Jac’que Polite | WSSU | 6-5 | 300 | Jr. | Ridgeland, SC |
| OL | #75 | Justin Nester | BSU | 6-3 | 276 | Jr. | Dayton, MD |
| OL | #72 | Kristjan Brown | FSU | 6-3 | 300 | So. | Charlotte, NC |
| WR | #14 | Jalen Hendricks* | LC | 6-2 | 205 | Sr. | Nashville, NC |
| WR | #80 | Jaivon Smallwood* | VSU | 6-2 | 175 | Sr. | Virginia Beach, VA |
| QB | #2 | Drew Powell* | LC | 6-3 | 225 | Sr. | Upper Marlboro, MD |
| RB | #24 | Roderick Davenport II* | SAU | 6-1 | 200 | Sr. | Orangeburg, SC |
| RB | #28 | Kavon Bellamy* | VSU | 5-10 | 205 | Jr. | Hampton, VA |
| PK | #47 | William Johnson | WSSU | 5-11 | 175 | Jr. | High Point, NC |
| KR | #2 | Antonio Huff | ECSU | 5-9 | 160 | Sr. | Washington, DC |
| DL | #10 | Anthony McDaniel* | BSU | 6-1 | 275 | Sr. | Ft. Washington, MD |
| DL | #40 | Michael Bloomfield | WSSU | 6-3 | 245 | Sr. | Jacksonville, NC |
| DL | #56 | Ray Prosise | VSU | 6-0 | 290 | Sr. | Petersburg, VA |
| DL | #72 | Kemaree Alcorn | CU | 6-5 | 260 | So. | Virginia Beach, VA |
| LB | #50 | Austin Jacques* | JCSU | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. | Springdale, MD |
| LB | #2 | Joseph Blanks | VUU | 6-1 | 240 | Sr. | Pembroke, NC |
| LB | #14 | Brandon Lynch | VSU | 6-1 | 200 | So. | Norfolk, VA |
| DB | #7 | Curtis Pumphrey* | BSU | 5-8 | 158 | Sr. | Laurel, MD |
| DB | #5 | Darion Thomas* | VSU | 6-0 | 160 | Sr. | Virginia Beach, VA |
| DB | #1 | Brion Robinson* | TLU | 5-9 | 200 | Sr. | Silver Spring, MD |
| DB | #21 | Rodeshawn Joseph | VUU | 6-1 | 185 | Sr. | Pompano Beach, FL |
| P | #57 | Christopher Palmer* | BSU | 6-2 | 274 | Sr. | St. Mary’s, MD |
| PR | #2 | Antonio Huff | ECSU | 5-9 | 160 | Sr. | Washington, DC |