NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion Football running back Devin Roche earned Sun Belt Conference preseason honors, while safety Mario Easterly, Chris Forbes and Zion Frink earned second team honors, the Sun Belt announced on Monday. The Monarchs were also picked to finish second in the Sun Belt East behind James Madison.
Roche is ODU’s lone returning starter on offense from a season ago after starting the final six games of the season. He finished 2025 with 630 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while producing 100-yard games in three of the final four games, including 100-yards in the Cure Bowl victory over South Florida.
Forbes earned SBC honorable mention honors after leading the ODU defensive line with eight tackles for loss. He added 30 tackles, one sack and recovered two fumbles.
Easterly also received honorable mention honors last year after leading ODU with 80 tackles. He recorded his first career interception and had three pass breakups.
Frink started all 13 games at cornerback and led the team with six pass breakups. He also recorded his first career interception and forced and recovered a fumble.
JMU was picked to win the east with 11 first-place votes, while ODU was picked second with one first-place vote. Marshall was picked third, followed by Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, App State and Georgia State. Troy was picked to win the west.
Season tickets for the 2026 home slate are on sale at ODUSports.com. Mini plans for select games and flex plans are also on sale.
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year
Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
RB – Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State (RS Sr., RB – Union, Miss.)
RB – Devin Roche, Old Dominion (RS Jr., RB – Baltimore, Md.)
OL – Tristian Smith, Arkansas State (RS Sr., OL – Crossett, Ark.)
OL – Zach Greenberg, James Madison (Gr., OL – Livingston, N.J.)
OL – AJ Vinson, ULM (Sr., OL – Social Circle, Ga.)
OL – Tariq Montgomery, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Akron, Ohio)
OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Columbus, Ohio)
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Sr., TE – Poca, W.Va.)
WR – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Clewiston, Fla.)
WR – Shelton Sampson Jr., Louisiana (RS Jr., WR – Baton Rouge, La.)
WR – Adrian Norton, Marshall (Sr., WR – Huber Heights, Ohio)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Aiden Benton, App State (RS Jr., DL – Clayton, Ga.)
DL – MJ Stroud, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Amar Thomas, James Madison (RS Sr., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
DL – Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
LB – Colton Phares, App State (RS Jr., LB – Beaufort, S.C.)
LB – Noah Flemmings, ULM (Sr., LB – Austin, Texas)
LB – Kolbe Fields, Louisiana Tech (Gr., LB – New Orleans, La.)
DB – AG McGhee, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DB – Chipley, Fla.)
DB – Ja’Marion Wayne, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DB – St. Louis, Mo.)
DB – Chance Gamble, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., DB – Fitzgerald, Ga.)
DB – Brent Gordon Jr., Louisiana (So., DB – Cecilia, La.)
DB – Daytione Smith, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – East Highland Park, Va.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (Sr., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
P – Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
RS – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RS – Clewiston, Fla.)
AP – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Clewiston, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Goose Crowder, Troy (Sr., QB – Gardendale, Ala.)
RB – George Pettaway, James Madison (RS Sr., RB – Suffolk, Va.)
RB – Keenan Phillips, South Alabama (Jr., RB – Bainbridge, Ga.)
OL – Tyriq Poindexter, App State (RS Sr., OL – Roanoke, Va.)
OL – Kaden Moreau, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Pineville, La.)
OL – Ethan Hubbard, South Alabama (RS Jr., OL – Hoover, Ala.)
OL – Kenton Jerido, South Alabama (RS Sr., OL – Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
OL – Jordon Jones, Troy (Sr., OL – Ashland, Ky.)
TE – Eli Finley, Louisiana Tech (Sr., TE – Heath, Texas)
WR – Josh Dallas, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., WR – Sharpsburg, Ga.)
WR – Nic Trujillo, ULM (Sr., WR – Rio Rancho, N.M.)
WR – Anthony Eager, South Alabama (RS Jr., WR – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Anthony Bynum, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Fitzgerald West Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DL – Lafayette, La.)
DL – Braydin Ward, Marshall (RS Jr., DL – Montgomery, W.Va.)
DL – Chris Forbes, Old Dominion (RS So., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
LB – Tray Brown, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., LB – Margate, Fla.)
LB – Brandon Tyson, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Whiteville, N.C.)
LB – Javae Gilmore, Marshall (RS Sr., LB – Amite, La.)
DB – Myles Woods, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DB – Grayson, Ga.)
DB – Jabari Tiller, ULM (Sr., DB – Sumter, S.C.)
DB – Mario Easterly, Old Dominion (RS Sr., DB – Harrisburg, Pa.)
DB – Zion Frink, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DB – Chesapeake, Va.)
DB – Justin Powe, Troy (Sr., DB – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Tripp Bryant, Georgia Southern (So., K – Lexington, S.C.)
P – Alex Smith, Georgia Southern (Sr., P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, Marshall (RS Sr., RS – Bluefield, Va.)
AP – Jordan Lovett, Troy (Jr., AP – Statesboro, Ga.)
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(First-Place Votes)
East Division
1. James Madison – 94 Points (11)
2. Old Dominion – 73 Points (1)
3. Marshall – 67 Points
4. Georgia Southern – 53 Points (1)
5. Coastal Carolina – 45 Points (1)
6. App State – 43 Points
7. Georgia State – 17 Points
West Division
1. Troy – 96 Points (12)
2. Louisiana – 75 Points (1)
3. Arkansas State – 69 Points
4. Louisiana Tech – 55 Points
5. Southern Miss – 47 Points (1)
6. South Alabama – 31 Points
7. ULM – 19 Points