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UNH fourth in CAA poll

RICHMOND, Va. (July 22, 2026) – Rhode Island, which is coming off back-to-back 11-3 seasons and the outright CAA Football championship in 2025, was the unanimous choice to claim the title again in 2026 according to a vote of the league’s head coaches.
The Rams received all 12 possible first-place votes (coaches can’t vote for their own team) and 144 points in the preseason poll. Monmouth was chosen second with 119 points, while Elon was close behind in third with 115 points. Placing fourth was New Hampshire with 106 points, and Stony Brook, which got one first-place vote, took fifth with 105 points. Towson (93 points) finished sixth in the poll, followed by Maine (88 points), Campbell (56 points), Bryant (50 points), CAA newcomer Sacred Heart (49 points), UAlbany (35 points), North Carolina A&T (28 points) and Hampton (26 points).
In addition to the poll, coaches voted for the preseason all-conference team. Rhode Island senior quarterback Devin Farrell was chosen as the CAA Offensive Player of the Year after completing 267-of-410 passes for 3,745 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. He ranked 7th in FCS in passing yards per game (267.5) and 13th in total offense (273.1 ypg) in 2025. Monmouth junior safety Jaeden Jones was selected as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year after recording 118 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, an interception and three pass breakups a year ago. He ranked ninth in FCS in tackles per game (9.8) in 2025.
Rhode Island returns 15 starters from last year’s team that matched a program record for wins and reached the second round of the FCS playoffs for the second year in a row. Five of those starters are on offense, including Farrell, All-America wide receiver Marquis Buchanan (78 rec., 1,337 yds., 8 TD’s) and All-CAA offensive lineman Tre Alexander. Eight regulars are back on defense, led by linebackers Moses Meus (110 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and Rohan Davy (101 tackles, 13.0 TFL), who were first and second on the team in tackles.
Monmouth begins its first season under head coach Jeff Gallo, who served as the offensive coordinator for last year’s 9-3 squad. The Hawks, who led FCS in total offense (498.7 ypg) and ranked fifth in scoring (40.0 ppg) in 2025, welcome back quarterback Frankie Weaver (1,355 yds., 14 TDs) and receivers Gavin Nelson (30 rec., 514 yds., 6 TD’s) and Tra Neal (29 rec., 427 yds., 7 TD’s). Jones headlines a defense that returns linebackers Ryan Russo (62 tackles), Spencer Kishbaugh (56 tackles) and Charlie Sasso (50 tackles).
Elon posted a 6-6 overall mark in 2025 and finished .500 or better in CAA play for the fifth year in row. The Phoenix return leading rusher Jimmyll Williams (673 yds., 3 TD’s) and receiver Landyn Backey (26 rec., 457 yds., 4 TD’s) on offense. Spearheading the defense are All-CAA linebacker Brodie Carroll (104 tackles, 9.5 TFL’s) and safety Tony Hart III (82 tackles, 2 int.).
 
2026 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
OFFENSE
Name, School                                                 Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown
Devin Farrell, Rhode Island                          Sr.          QB          6-0         195        Stockbridge, Ga.
Mitch Summers, Sacred Heart                    5th         RB          5-7         155        Greensboro, N.C.
Myles Thomason, New Hampshire            Sr.          RB          5-9         181        Montclair, N.J.
Jimmyll Williams, Elon                                  Sr.          RB          5-9         204        Durham, N.C.
Dylan Magazu, Elon                                       Jr.           FB/HB    6-3         245        Newtown, Conn.
Marcus Middleton, Monmouth                  Jr.           TE           6-3         225        Germantown, Md.
Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island              Sr.          WR         6-4         190        Providence, R.I.
Aboraa Kwarteng, Rhode Island                 Sr.          WR         6-2         190        Alexandria, Va.
Gavin Nelson, Monmouth                            Sr.          WR         6-0         180        Reisterstown, Md.
Tre Alexander, Rhode Island                       Sr.          OL          6-2         321        Tampa, Fla.
Omari Allen, Hampton                                  Sr.          OL          6-4         300        Henderson, N.C.
KJ Brooks, Towson                                         Sr.          OL          6-3         290        Olney, Md.
Tim Hogan, Elon                                             Gr.          OL          6-5         305        Raleigh, N.C.
Anthony Iliano, Maine                                  Jr.           OL          6-3         305        Cleveland, Ohio
Andrew Kocan, Maine                                  Sr.          OL          6-4         310        Pittsburgh, Pa.
DEFENSE
Name, School                                                 Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown
Chris Bacon, Maine                                        Jr.           DL          6-3         245        Queens, N.Y.
Case Mankins, Rhode Island                       Sr.          DL          6-3         245        North Attleboro, Mass.
Sebastian Regis, Stony Brook                     Jr.           DL          6-1         260        East Islip, N.Y.
Korede Sogbesan, Hampton                        Sr.          DL          6-3         245        Laurel, Md.
Brodie Carroll, Elon                                       Jr.           LB           6-1         240        Haymarket, Va.
Rohan Davy, Rhode Island                           Jr.           LB           5-10       205        Briggs Chaney, Md.
Anthony Ferrelli, Stony Brook                    Sr.          LB           6-0         225        Carlsbad, Calif.
Moses Meus, Rhode Island                         Jr.           LB           6-3         230        Pawtucket, R.I.
Jamaree Gibson, Maine                                Sr.          CB          6-0         205        Rochester, N.Y.
Miles McGoy, Stony Brook                          Jr.           CB          6-4         175        Staten Island, N.Y.
Tony Hart III, Elon                                          Jr.           S             6-2         206        Baltimore, Md.
Jaeden Jones, Monmouth                            Jr.           S             6-0         190        Colonia, N.J.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Name, School                                                 Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown
Keylijah Williams, Bryant                             Sr.          KR          6-0         183        Naples, Fla.
Elijah Kennedy, North Carolina A&T         Sr.          PR          5-11       180        High Point, N.C.
Luke Barnes, Elon                                          Jr.           PK           6-6         220        Greensboro, N.C.
Brett Starling, Hampton                               Jr.           P             6-6         230        Hampton, Va.
Jaeden Jones, Monmouth                            Jr.           SPEC      6-0         190        Colonia, N.J.
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Devin Farrell, QB, Rhode Island

CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jaeden Jones, S, Monmouth
Honorable mention: Andrew Indorf, QB, Towson; Brendon Barrow, RB, Rhode Island; Rashawn Marshall, RB, Maine; Drew Danson, FB/HB, New Hampshire; Landyn Backey, WR, Elon; Tra Neal, WR, Monmouth; Colby Ramshaw, TE, New Hampshire; Andrew Dorsey, OL, North Carolina A&T; Beau Riley, OL, New Hampshire; Kevin Shriner, OL, Monmouth; Tim Suk, OL, Sacred Heart; Wyatt Whalen, OL, Bryant; Ta’Kai Chisholm, DL, Maine; Cameron Garner-Young, DL, New Hampshire; Dillon Pardue, DL, Elon; Darren Burton, LB, New Hampshire; Dillon Dunathan, LB, UAlbany; DaVonyae Pettis, LB, Campbell; Trey Lubin, CB, Rhode Island; Andre DePina-Gray, S, Rhode Island; Jojo Garcia, S, Stony Brook; Elijah Kennedy, KR, North Carolina A&T; Samuel Tremblay, PK, Maine; Luke Schabel, P, Monmouth; Danny Anderla, SPEC, Towson
2026 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
  1. Rhode Island (12 first-place votes)            144
  2. Monmouth                                                            119
  3. Elon                                                                          115
  4. New Hampshire                                                 106
  5. Stony Brook (1 first-place vote)                  105
  6. Towson                                                                    93
  7. Maine                                                                       88
  8. Campbell                                                               56
  9. Bryant                                                                      50
  10. Sacred Heart                                                        49
  11. Ualbany                                                                  35
  12. North Carolina A&T                                           28
  13. Hampton                                                               26

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