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CAA places three in Top 25

 RICHMOND, Va. – Three CAA Football teams have been recognized in the 2022 HERO Sports Preseason Top 25 poll.

Defending conference champion Villanova leads the group of CAA teams at No. 9, followed by Delaware at No. 15 and Richmond at No. 25.

Villanova is coming off a 10-3 season in which the Wildcats advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2014. Four starters are back on the Villanova offensive line along with top receivers Rayjoun Pringle and Jaaron Hayek. The Wildcats’ defense features safeties Ethan Potter and Jalen Goodman.

Delaware, which went 5-6 a year ago, begins its first season under new head coach Ryan Carty, a former assistant at the University of New Hampshire. Quarterback Nolan Henderson and wide receiver Thyrick Pitts return to the Blue Hens’ offense, while All-America safety Kedrick Whitehead and linebacker Johnny Buchanan are back defensively.

Richmond closed the 2021 campaign on a four-game winning streak to finish 6-5 overall. The Spiders welcome back All-America linebacker Tristan Wheeler to lead the defense. The offense returns running back Aaron Dykes and should get a lift from transfer quarterback Reece Udinski and receiver Jakob Herres.

The 2022 CAA Football season kicks off Sept. 1 as conference newcomer Monmouth visits New Hampshire, and Stony Brook hosts Rhode Island.

2022 HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll

1 North Dakota State

2 South Dakota State

3 Montana State

4 Montana

5 ETSU

6 Missouri State

7 Sam Houston

8 Kennesaw State

9 Villanova

10 Sacramento State

11 Stephen F. Austin

T12 Incarnate Word

T12 Southern Illinois

14 UT Martin

15 Delaware

16 Chattanooga

17 Holy Cross

18 Eastern Washington

19 Jackson State

20 Southeastern Louisiana

21 South Dakota

22 Harvard

23 Dartmouth

24 Northern Iowa

T25 Richmond

T25 UC Davis

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