Ten SCSU Bulldogs Named To All-MEAC Preseason Team, SC State Picked Second

PHOTO COURTESY: SCSU ATHLETICS

NORFOLK, Virginia —Ten (10) SC State University Bulldogs were named to the preseason all-conference team, while SC State was picked to finish second behind, the defending Co-champion North Carolina A&T State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) as voted by the league's head football coaches and sports information directors.

This is the third straight year the Bulldogs were picked second in the preseason conference poll. The announcements were made at the MEAC's Annual Football Press Luncheon held Friday afternoon at the Norfolk Marriott Waterside Hotel in Virginia.

South Carolina State, received four first-place votes, behind North Carolina A&T State with nine first-place votes to receive the first place ranking in the conference's preseason poll for 2015 MEAC Football Season. All five teams that earned a share of conference title last year rounded out the first five spots of this year's preseason predicted order of finish.

All-American defensive lineman and last year's MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Javon Hargrave was this year's favorite to win the award again, along with redshirt sophomore and the 2014 Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard earning First Team All-MEAC honors.

Hargrave also garnered postseason honors last year, leading the MEAC and ranking second in the nation in sacks with 16 for a loss of 199 yards and fourth in the FCS in tackles for loss with 23.5. He finished the season recording 55 total tackles, three forced fumbles, one recovered fumble (61 yards), eight quarterback hurries and two breakups. He was listed on the Sports Networks' Buck Buchanan Award List for much of last year and earned national and conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after tying a conference and FCS-best record of six (6) sacks in a single game in a win over ranked Bethune-Cookman. Hargrave is currently on the award list for The Sports Networks' STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year honor.

Senior running back Jalen Simmons, tight end Temarrick Hemingway and redshirt junior offensive lineman Javarius Leamon, all earned All-MEAC Second Team honors on offense. On defense it was senior defensive end Reggie Owens, and defensive back/return specialist Antonio Hamilton.

Meanwhile, redshirt senior defensive lineman James Settles and senior defensive back Chris Pauling were named to the All-MEAC Third Team respectively.

The Bulldogs open the 2015 season on Sept. 6 in the 11th Annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge against SWAC foe Arkansas Pine-Bluff in Orlando, Fla. Kick-off is 3 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPNU/ESPN3. Season tickets to SC State's five home games are still available for more information go online to www.scsuathletics.com or contact the SC State Ticket Office at 803-536-8579 or 1-800-298-9157.

Listed below are the 2015 MEAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason All-MEAC teams:

2015 Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes in Parenthesis)
1. North Carolina A&T State University (9)
2. South Carolina State University (4)
3. Bethune-Cookman University (1)
4. North Carolina Central University (4)
5. Morgan State University
6. Hampton University (2)
7. Norfolk State University
8. Florida A&M University**
9. Howard University**
10. Delaware State University (1)
11. Savannah State University** (1)
** Florida A&M, Howard and Savannah State is not eligible
for post season competition**

BULLDOG ALL-MEAC HONORS
First Team All-Defense
Pos. Player
DL Javon Hargrave
LB Darius Leonard

Second Team All-Offense
Pos. Player
RB Jalen Simmons
TE Temarrick Hemingway
OL Javarius Leamon

Second Team All-Defense
Pos. Player
DL Reggie Owens
DB Antonio Hamilton
RS Antonio Hamilton

Third Team All-Defense
Pos. Player
DL James Settles
DB Chris Pauling

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION