Fayetteville State picked ninth in preseason CIAA football poll

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  --  The CIAA Football Coaches Association has predicted the Fayetteville State Broncos to finish ninth in the 2013 Preseason Poll. The announcement was made during the conference’s media day held in the Donald J. Reaves Student Activities Center on the campus of Winston-Salem State University. Along with the preseason prediction, senior running back Colon Bailey, Jr. (Manteo, NC) was named to the Preseason All-CIAA Team.

Winston-Salem State, the defending conference champion and NCAA Division II runner-up, was picked as the favorite to win the conference title. WSSU is followed in the preseason poll by Elizabeth City State, Saint Augustine’s, Chowan, Shaw and Bowie State in the top six. The final six teams are comprised of Johnson C. Smith, Virginia Union, Fayetteville State, Virginia State, Livingstone and Lincoln (PA).

Colon Bailey, Jr. received All-Conference honors at the conclusion of last year. His feat of 1,015 rushing yards last season placed his name within the 1,000 Yard Rushing Club; below Clifton Davis who surpassed the mark in 1993 and 1994. Bailey finished fourth in the conference in both rushing yards and touchdowns (10) and was ranked 38^th nationally in rushing. He recorded two 200+ rushing yard performances and captured a school-record 288 yards against Livingstone.

The Broncos expect a return of 50 players from last year’s team including 16 starters.

FSU begins the season on Sept. 7 against the Virginia State Trojans at L.N. Jeralds Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Season tickets for the upcoming 2013 campaign are currently on sale at the Fayetteville State Ticket Office. For more information about season tickets contact Antoinette Fairley, FSU Ticket Manager, at (910) 672-1724 or e-mail at afairley@uncfsu.edu. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.fsubroncos.com.



 CIAA Football Predicted Order of Finish
1.  Winston-Salem State
2.  Elizabeth City State
3.  Saint Augustine’s
4.  Chowan
5.  Shaw
6.  Bowie State
7.  Johnson C. Smith
8.  Virginia Union
9.  Fayetteville State
10.  Virginia State
11.  Livingstone
12.  Lincoln (PA)

2013 Preseason All-CIAA Team
Offense
Khari Lee, TE, Bowie State
Austin Hochman, OL, Bowie State
David Gatlin, OL, Elizabeth City State
Rico Arellano, OL, Johnson C. Smith
Chris Bearden, OL, Winston-Salem State
Nathaniel Hartung, OL, Winston-Salem State
Robert Holland, WR, Chowan
Fred Scott, WR, Johnson C. Smith
Keahn Wallace, QB, Johnson C. Smith
Colon Bailey, Jr., RB, Fayetteville State
Maurice Lewis, RB, Winston-Salem State
Darnell Evans, KR, Shaw
Brett Symonds, PK, Elizabeth City State

Defense
Oladimeji Layeni, DL, Bowie State
TJ Batchelor, DL, Chowan         
Javarous Faulk, DL, Saint Augustine’s
Donnie Owens, DL, Winston-Salem State
Kenneth White, Jr., LB, Livingstone
Chaz Robinson, LB, Saint Augustine’s
Carlos Fields, Jr., LB, Winston-Salem State
Curtis Pumphrey, DB, Bowie State
Nigel Rios, DB, Elizabeth City State
Darnell Evans, DB, Shaw
Sean Smith, DB, Virginia State
Denzel Duchenne, PR, Virginia Union
Brett Symonds, P, Elizabeth City State



COURTESY FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION