2017 ALL-MEAC FOOTBALL TEAM
NORFOLK, VA—Ten (10) SC State University players have been named to the 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference team, while Coach Buddy Pough's team has been picked to finish third in the race for the league title, as voted on by  MEAC head football coaches and sports information directors.

Bulldog All-America and All-MEAC linebacker Darius Leonard, a redshirt senior, was named MEAC Preseasons Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season and was one of five Bulldogs earning All-MEAC First Team honors. It was the third such honor for the Lake View native.

The announcements were made Friday (July 28) at the MEAC's annual Football Press Luncheon held Friday at the Norfolk Marriott Waterside Hotel.
 
North Carolina Central, the defending champion, was chosen as the preseason favorite to win the MEAC, followed by North Carolina A&T State and SC State. Bethune-Cookman and Hampton rounded out the top five spots of this year's preseason predicted order of finish.

Leonard (6-3, 235), the 2016 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year lived up to expectations last season, finishing with a MEAC-leading and career-high 124 tackles, including 14.5 tackles for loss and four (4) forced fumbles. He collected a season-high 19 tackles in a loss against FBS National Champion Clemson last September.
 
Also last season, Leonard was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS and was well-recognized on the postseason awards circuit, earning All-American honors from STATS FCS, AFCA Coaches, Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN), Box-to-row, and HERO Sports.

In addition, Leonard was named the Mel Blount National Defensive Player of the Year as selected by SBN, Box-to-row National Defensive Player of the Year, and become the fourth straight Bulldog player to win the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year accolades.

During this year's preseason, he was previously selected as the MEAC Defensive Player to Watch by Athlon Sports in May and had been named a finalist for this year's Butkus Award, honoring the nation's best linebacker.

The four other Bulldogs earning preseason All-MEAC First Team honors included redshirt senior linebacker Dayshawn Taylor, graduate defensive back Jason Baxter, and senior offensive linemen Robbie Stephenson and Justin Evans.

Offensive lineman Victor Ishmael, Jr., kicker Tyler Scandrett, defensive lineman Greg Newell and defensive back Devondre Powell, all seniors, all earned preseason All-MEAC second team honors, while senior defensive end Ty Cravens was named to the All-MEAC Third Team.

The Bulldogs open the 2017 season on Sept. 3 in Baton Rouge, LA against Southern University in the annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge, which will be televised live on ESPN2. Kick-off is 1:30 p.m.(CT) and 2:30 p.m. (ET).

Season tickets to SC State 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 2017 MEAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason All-MEAC teams:

2017 MEAC FOOTBALL 
PRESEASON PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

Rank	School	\
1.	North Carolina Central
2.	North Carolina A&T State
3.	South Carolina State
4.	Bethune-Cookman
5.	Hampton
6.	Florida A&M
7.	Norfolk State
8.	Morgan State
9.	Howard
10.	Savannah State
11.	Delaware State