July 27, 2011
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Entering its inaugural season in the CAA, the ODU Football Monarchs were picked 10th in the conference's Preseason Poll announced during Wednesday's CAA Football Media Day at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md.
The results of the poll, along with the Preseason All-CAA Football squad, were officially announced as well.William and Mary, which earned a share of the CAA Football crown a year ago, is favored to win the CAA Football Championship in 2011 according to a vote of the league's 11 head coaches and media relations personnel.
William and Mary running back Jonathan Grimes and Delaware running back Andrew Pierce, along with Massachusetts linebacker Tyler Holmes headlined the 2011 CAA Football Preseason All-CAA Football squad as Preseason Players of the Year. Grimes, the most decorated student-athlete in CAA Football history having earned eight postseason honors in just three seasons, ranked fourth in the league piling up 887 rushing yards for a Tribe squad in 2010.
Pierce enjoyed one of the finest seasons ever for a Blue Hen runner in 2010 as he rushed 329 times for 1,655 yards and 14 touchdowns. He set Delaware freshman records for carries in a season, yards rushing in a game (200 vs. Duquesne) and a season, rushing touchdowns in a season and total touchdowns (16) in a season.
Holmes finished his junior campaign in 2010 with a team-best 110 tackles and five sacks for the Minutemen. As a fifth-place finisher in the Buck Buchanan National Defensive Player of the Year balloting a year ago, Holmes earned First Team All-America honors from The Sports Network, AFCA, Associated Press and College Sporting News.
James Madison, which placed four on the Preseason All-CAA Football squad, earned four first-place votes to come in second in the league race. Delaware, also a 2010 CAA Football Champion with the Tribe, picked up two first-place votes and finished third in the overall voting. New Hampshire picked up two first-place votes, while Massachusetts earned one to log fourth and fifth place in the league race, respectively. Richmond came in at No. 6, while Villanova landed at No. 7. Rhode Island, which garnered one first-place vote, was eighth while Maine came in at No. 9. The league's newcomer in Old Dominion was at No. 10 in the predicted order of finish, and Towson rounded out the polling at No. 11.
2011 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEARPositionNameYearHeightWeightSchoolRunning BackJonathan GrimesSenior5-10201William and MaryRunning BackAndrew PierceSophomore5-11200Delaware 2011 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARPositionNameYearHeightWeightSchoolLinebackerTyler HolmesSenior6-0220Massachusetts 2011 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMOFFENSEPositionNameYearHeightWeightSchoolQuarterbackSteve ProbstSenior6-4227Rhode IslandRunning BackJonathan GrimesSenior5-10201William and MaryRunning BackAndrew PierceSophomore5-11200DelawareFullbackKendall GaskinsJunior6-1228RichmondWide ReceiverTre GraySenior5-10175RichmondWide ReceiverJulian TalleySenior6-1185MassachusettsWide ReceiverNorman WhiteSenior6-3215VillanovaTight EndAlex GottliebSenior6-4255William and MaryOffensive LineRoane BabingtonSenior6-2275James MadisonOffensive LineGino GradkowskiSenior6-4294DelawareOffensive LineRob McDowellSenior6-3276DelawareOffensive LineJames PagliaroSenior6-3284William and MaryOffensive LineDan ShireyJunior6-2290Villanova DEFENSEPositionNameYearHeightWeightSchoolDefensive LineMichael AtunraseSenior6-2261DelawareDefensive LineFrank BeltreJunior6-2225TowsonDefensive LineMarcus HydeSenior6-3242William and MaryDefensive LineAntoine LewisSophomore6-3270VillanovaDefensive LineBrian McNallySenior6-3266New HampshireLinebackerDante CookJunior5-11213William and MaryLinebackerMatt EvansJunior6-0233New HampshireLinebackerTyler HolmesSenior6-0220MassachusettsLinebackerStephon RobertsonSophomore5-11210James MadisonLinebackerPaul WorrilowJunior6-0230DelawareSafetyJerron McMillianSenior5-11215MaineSafetyVidal NelsonSenior5-11205James MadisonCornerbackJames PittsSenior6-0185VillanovaCornerbackB.W. WebbJunior5-11175William and Mary SPECIAL TEAMSPositionNameYearHeightWeightSchoolReturn SpecialistTravis HurdSophomore5-8180Rhode IslandPlacekickerWil KaminJunior5-9175RichmondPunterDavid SkahnJunior6-2175James Madison 2011 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH (first-place votes)1. William and Mary (12) 2. James Madison (4) 3. Delaware (2) 4. New Hampshire (2) 5. Massachusetts (1) 6. Richmond 7. Villanova 8. Rhode Island (1) 9. Maine 10. Old Dominion 11. Towson