Hampton, North Carolina A&T face uphill battle in CAA Football

Courtesy of CAA Sports

RICHMOND, Va. — Villanova, which posted a 10-3 record, earned a share of the CAA Football championship and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs last season, has been picked to finish atop the CAA Football standings in 2024 according to a vote of the league’s head coaches. North Carolina A&T and Hampton are the only HBCUs in the CAA

The Wildcats received nine first-place votes and 217 points in the preseason poll. Richmond got one first-place vote and was chosen second with 189 points, while UAlbany garnered three first-place votes and finished third with 179 points. William & Mary (175 points) was close behind in fourth, and Delaware (163 points) got three first-place tallies and placed fifth. Elon (157 points) 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).

CAA Football also announced its preseason all-conference team. Villanova led all schools with six players honored while Richmond had four. Villanova’s Watkins was chosen as the preseason Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 2,681 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushing for 378 yards and 10 TD’s a year ago. Elon All-America safety Caleb Curtain was selected as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year after recording 80 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and a league-high four interceptions in 2023.

CAA Football expands to 16 members in 2024 with the addition of Bryant University and looks to continue its tradition of success. Four teams received berths in the FCS playoffs in 2023, which was tied for the second-most of any conference. The CAA has had at least one team reach the quarterfinals every year since 1995 and has had at least one semifinalist 10 times over the past 11 years, with seven different schools advancing to the final four. Twelve of the CAA’s 16 members have participated in the FCS playoffs since 2015, a feat unmatched by any other conference.

2024 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)

OFFENSE
Name, School                                             Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown
Connor Watkins, Villanova                          Gr.          QB          6-3         225        Williamsport, Pa.
Elijah Burris, Hampton Sr.          RB          5-10       205        Gastonia, N.C.
Griffin Woodell, UAlbany So.         RB          5-10       194        Glens Falls, N.Y.
Marcus Yarns, Delaware Gr.          RB          5-11       183        Salisbury, Md.
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary Sr.          RB          5-11       210        Nappanee, Ind.
Trey McDonald, William & Mary Jr.           FB/HB    6-6         230        Kinnelon, N.J.
Carter Runyon, Towson Sr.          TE           6-6         235        Fairfax, Va.
Chandler Brayboy, Elon Sr.          WR         6-1         199        Pembroke, N.C.
Nick DeGennaro, Richmond Sr.          WR         6-1         190        Old Bridge, N.J.
Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook So.         WR         5-11       190        Burlington, N.J.
Temi Ajirotutu, Villanova Gr.          OL          6-5         320        Queens, N.Y.
Fintan Brose, Delaware Gr.          OL          6-2         304        Irwin, Pa.
Charles Grant, William & Mary Sr.          OL          6-4         300        Portsmouth, Va.
Ozzie Hutchinson, UAlbany Gr.          OL          6-4         305        Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Will Marotta, UAlbany Gr.          OL          6-5         325        Collegeville, Pa.
Ralph Paige, Jr., Towson Sr.          OL          6-3         305        Washington, D.C.

DEFENSE
Name, School                                             Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown
Jeremiah Grant, Richmond                          Sr.          DL          6-2         245        South Orange, N.J.
Westley Neal, Jr., Rhode Island Sr.          DL          6-0         315        Miami, Fla.
Michael Otty, Bryant                                     Sr.          DL          6-2         260        Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dylan Ruiz, New Hampshire                        Sr.          DL          6-1         256        Orlando, Fla.
Josiah Silver, New Hampshire                     Sr.          DL          6-2         243        Hampton, Va.
Brendan Bell, Villanova                               Gr.          LB           6-2         230        Basking Ridge, N.J.
Shane Hartzell, Villanova                             Jr.           LB           6-0         230        Perkasie, Pa.
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island Jr.           LB           6-2         235        Branchburg, N.J.
CJ Tillman, Campbell Sr.          LB           6-0         235        Rockingham, N.C.
Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T Jr.           CB          6-2         180        Portsmouth, Va.
Isas Waxter, Villanova Gr.          CB          6-2         215        Newark, N.J.
Caleb Curtain, Elon Jr.           S             6-1         196        Greensboro, N.C.
Ty Trinh, Villanova Gr.          S             6-0         205        Owings Mills, Md.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Name, School                                              Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown
Chandler Brayboy, Elon                                Sr.          KR          6-1         199        Pembroke, N.C.
Gabe Sloat, Rhode Island Sr. PR          6-0         190        North Kingstown, R.I.
Keegan Vaughan, Towson                           Sr.          PK           5-11       165        Richmond, Va.
Aaron Trusler, Richmond                             Gr.          P             5-8         168        Melbourne, Australia
Jabril Hayes, Richmond Sr.          SPEC      5-11       170        Stephens City, Va.

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)