CIAA announces 2018 Preseason Football Team & Ranking
ROANOKE, VA —The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), its Football Coaches Association and the Sports Information Directors Association announce the 2018 CIAA Football Predicted Order of Finish and the Preseason All-CIAA Team.
The announcement came July 18 as the CIAA prepared for CIAA Football Media Day on Thursday, July 19, in Roanoke, Virginia.
For the 2018 season, the Bulldogs of Bowie State University have been selected as the predicted Championship contender.
Meanwhile, the defending CIAA Champion Trojans of Virginia State University have been selected to finish second. The Bulldogs finished 9-2 last season with a 6-1 conference record and 4-1 division record. The Trojans finished 10-1 last season with a 7-0 conference record and 5-0 division record. Both BSU and VSU were featured in the first round of the NCAA Division II Region 2 football playoffs.
2018 Predicted Order of Finish
1. Bowie State University
2. Virginia State University
3. Fayetteville State University
4. Winston-Salem State University
5. Virginia Union University
6. Saint Augustine’s University
7. Chowan University
8. Shaw University
9. Elizabeth City State University
10. Johnson C. Smith University
11. Livingstone College
12. Lincoln (PA) University
Predicted Divisional Order of Finish
Northern Division
Bowie State
Virginia State
Virginia Union
Chowan
Elizabeth City State
Lincoln (PA)
Southern Division
Fayetteville State
Winston-Salem State
Saint Augustine’s
Shaw
Johnson C. Smith
Livingstone
The 2018 Preseason All-CIAA Football Team is led by a standout group of student-athletes.
From Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) on offense are:
*Offensive lineman, #57, Deveonte Mackey, 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, sophomore, from Lakeland, Florida.
*Running back, #26, Kerrion Moore, 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, red shirt junior from Gastonia, N.C.
From WSSU on defense is:
*Defensive lineman, #34, Jarell Bright, 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, senior from Charlotte, N.C.
Bright is a member of the 2017 All-CIAA First Team
For the 2018 football season, three institutions will be taking the field with new leadership on the sideline. Virginia Union and Head Coach Alvin Parker will open their season at home versus Seton Hill on Sept. 1, at 1 p.m. Elizabeth City State and Head Coach Anthony Jones will start off their season at home, playing Central State (Ohio) on Sept.1, 2018 at 1 p.m. Finally, Head Coach Josh Dean of Lincoln (Pennsylvania) will lead the Lions on their home turf versus Fayetteville State on Sept. 1, at 7 p.m.
The 2018 CIAA football season opens on Thursday, Aug. 30, with the CIAA Football Championship scheduled for Saturday, Nov.10, in Salem, Virginia. The nationally televised championship game will be played at Salem Football Stadium and feature the CIAA Northern and Southern Division champions.
Catch all the action and get more information on the other 2018 Preseason All-CIAA Football Team members by going to theciaa.com and following the CIAA on Facebook (The CIAA), Twitter (@CIAAForLife), and Instagram (@CIAASports).