NEW ORLEANS – Old Dominion University placed three players on the Sun Belt Conference preseason team. Tight end Zack Kuntz and wide receiver Ali Jennings III were named to the first-team, while offensive lineman Nick Saldiveri was named to the second-team. The all-preseason team was selected by the league's head coaches and media.
Kuntz was second among tight ends last season with 73 catches for 692 yards and five touchdowns. He earned first-team All-Conference USA honors last season and has been named preseason all-conference by multiple media outlets this season. He also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.
A native of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, Kuntz Had five games of eight catches or more, including a career-high of nine twice. He caught at least two passes in every game last season.
Jennings caught 62 passes for a team-high 1,066 yards and team-high tying five touchdowns. His 17.2 yards per catch average was the fifth best average in ODU history.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Jennings caught nine passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns in the regular season finale victory over Charlotte. The 252 yards was the most by an ODU receiver in FBS games. He recorded three, 100-yard receiving games last season.
Saldiveri started all 13 games in 2021 at right tackle and has been a two-year starter for the Monarchs. In the regular season finale against Charlotte last year, he became the first ODU offensive lineman to score a touchdown when he recovered a fumble in the end zone.
2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
RB – Rasheen Ali, Marshall
RB – Camerun Peoples, App State
OL – Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina
OL – Dalton Cooper, Texas State
OL – Austin Stidham, Troy
OL – Malik Sumter, Georgia State
OL – Cooper Hodges, App State
TE – Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
WR – Ali Jennings, Old Dominion
WR – Kris Thornton, James Madison
WR – Tez Johnson, Troy
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina
DL – Javon Solomon, Troy
DL – Zi'Yon Hill, Louisiana
DL – Will Choloh, Troy
LB – Carlton Martial, Troy
LB – Blake Carroll, Georgia State
LB – Kivon Bennett, Arkansas State
DB – Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama
DB – D'Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina
DB – Antavious Lane, Georgia State
DB – Eric Garror, Louisiana
DB – Keith Gallmon, South Alabama
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Seth Keller, Texas State
P – Rhys Byrns, Louisiana
RS – Johnnie Lang, Arkansas State
AP – Chris Smith, Louisiana
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Chase Brice, App State
RB – Nate Noel, App State
RB – Tucker Gregg, Georgia State
OL – Travis Glover, Georgia State
OL – Kyle Hergel, Texas State
OL – Damion Daley, App State
OL – Pat Bartlett, Georgia State
OL – Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion
TE – Aubry Payne, Georgia State
WR – Te'Vailance Hunt, Arkansas State
WR – Jalen Wayne, South Alabama
WR – Boogie Knight, ULM
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Richard Jubinor, Troy
DL – Thomas Gore, Georgia State
DL – Jerrod Clark, Coastal Carolina
DL – Justin Ellis, Georgia Southern
LB – Nick Hampton, App State
LB – Abraham Beauplan, Marshall
LB – Andre Jones, Louisiana
LB – Trey Cobb, App State
DB – Steven Jones Jr., App State
DB – Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern
DB – Steven Gilmore, Marshall
DB – TJ Harris, Troy
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Calum Sutherland, ULM
P – Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern
RS – Camron Harrell, Southern Miss
AP – Amare Jones, Georgia Southern
Three Monarchs Earn Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Honors
Ali Jennings, Nick Saldiveri and Zack Kuntz