Richmond installed as CAA favorite

(STATS) - The CAA Football title race is expected to travel right through, and perhaps stop at the border, of the Commonwealth of Virginia again.

On Tuesday, Richmond was installed as the preseason favorite in the CAA preseason poll, with William & Mary voted second and James Madison third among the 12 teams. Those three intrastate rivals shared the conference title and qualified for the FCS playoffs last season.

Richmond, which went on to reach the national semifinals in a 10-4 season, also had the most players on the CAA preseason team with seven, led by the two preseason players of the year, junior quarterback Kyle Lauletta (offense) and senior safety David Jones (defense).

James Madison and William & Mary gained five selections each on the 28-member preseason team.Also notable was Villanova being selected fourth as 32nd-year coach Andy Talley heads into his final season with the Wildcats, the most recent CAA national champions in 2009.

New Hampshire, which has been to the playoffs in 12 straight seasons, was picked fifth, gaining the second-most first-place votes behind Richmond.

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CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL=

Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors Poll=

1. Richmond (19 first-place votes), 283

2. William & Mary (1), 250

3. James Madison, 209

4. Villanova, 197

5. New Hampshire (3), 186

6. Towson, 180

7. Delaware, 171

8. Stony Brook, 111

9. Maine (1), 107

10. Elon, 72

11. Albany, 69

12. Rhode Island, 37

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CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON TEAM=

Offensive Player of the Year - Kyle Lauletta, QB, Richmond

Defensive Player of the Year - David Jones, S, Richmond

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Offense=

QB - Kyle Lauletta, Richmond, Jr.

RB - Kendell Anderson, William & Mary, Sr.

RB - Darius Victor, Towson, Sr.

FB - James Pavik, Richmond, Sr.

WR - Ray Bolden, Stony Brook, Jr.

WR - Brian Brown, Richmond, Sr.

WR - Brandon Ravenel, James Madison, Sr.

TE - Andrew Caskin, William & Mary, Jr.

OL - Connor Bozick, Delaware, Sr.

OL - Thomas Evans, Richmond, Sr.

OL - Mitchell Kirsch, James Madison, Sr.

OL - Timon Parris, Stony Brook, Jr.

OL - Jerry Ugokwe, William & Mary, Sr.

OL - Nicholas Vergos, Richmond, Sr.

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Defense=

DL - Andrew Ankrah, James Madison, Jr.

DL - Tanoh Kpassagnon, Villanova, Sr.

DL - Pat Ricard, Maine, Sr.

DL - Aaron Thompson, Stony Brook, Sr.

LB - Charles Bell, Delaware, Jr.

LB - Omar Howard, Richmond, Sr.

LB - Adam Parker, Rhode Island, Sr.

S - Raven Greene, James Madison, Sr.

S - David Jones, Richmond, Sr.

CB - Casey DeAndrade, New Hampshire, Sr.

CB - Taylor Reynolds, James Madison, Jr.

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Special Teams=

RS - Harold Cooper, Rhode Island, Jr.

PK - Nick Dorka, William & Mary, Jr.

P - Hunter Windmuller, William & Mary, Sr.