Five Savannah State Tigers Named to Preseason All-MEAC Team

NORFOLK, Virginia --  Five Savannah State football players have been named to the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason All Conference Team which was released during the annual Football Press Luncheon which was held at the Hilton Norfolk The Main hotel.

All votes were submitted by the MEAC's ten head football coaches and sports information contacts.

Senior defensive lineman Stefen Banks was named to the First Team Defense; junior place kicker Giovanni Lugo was named to the Second Team Special Teams; senior tight end Paris Baker was named to the Third Team Offense; Brandon Carswell, a senior defensive lineman, was named to the Third Team Defense; and sophomore return specialist JaMichael Baldwin was named to the Third Team Special Teams.

Banks, a 2017 BOXTOROW All-American, finished last season with 71 tackles, 18 tackles for losses, 10 sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble, one pass breakup and seven quarterback hurries. The Columbus, Ohio native led the MEAC in sacks and was second in tackles for losses.

Lugo made 26 of 27 extra point attempts last year and kicked eight field goals with a long of 43 yards. He also punted 29 times for an average of 40.1 yards per punt and had a long of 66 yards. Lugo is from Belle Glade, Florida.

Savannah, Ga. native Baker caught seven passes for 203 yards and a score last season.

Carswell, who hails from Mount Vernon, Georgia, had 34 tackles, nine tackles for losses, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one quarterback hurry.

Baldwin returned 30 kickoffs for 664 yards and a touchdown and averaged 22.1 yards per return. The Conyers, Ga. native also returned 15 punts for 202 yards and averaged 13.5 yards per return. He was second in the MEAC in kickoff returns.

Last season Banks made the All-MEAC First Team Defense while Carswelland Baldwin both made the All-MEAC Third Team Defense.

North Carolina A&T State quarterback Lamar Raynard was selected as the MEAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while North Carolina Central defensive back Davanta Reynolds was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Savannah State was picked to finish eighth in the conference preseason poll.

North Carolina A&T State was picked to defend its MEAC Football Championship as the Aggies topped the league's annual preseason poll.

Howard was predicted to place second followed by North Carolina Central in third place and Bethune-Cookman in fourth. Florida A&M was picked fifth followed by Norfolk State, South Carolina State, SSU, Morgan State and Delaware State.

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