RICHMOND, VA – Four Monmouth University football student-athletes have been recognized with Coastal Athletic Association preseason accolades, the conference announced prior to its annual media day on Tuesday.

Jaden Shirden earned Preseason Offensive Player of the Year as well as All-Conference Team honors at running back, while Dymere Miller claimed the All-CAA nod at wide receiver. In addition, offensive lineman Greg Anderson and defensive back Mike Reid were Honorable Mention choices.
 
Shirden, who has earned a pair of preseason All-American nods, completed his sophomore season as the nation's leading rusher. The junior running back earned consensus All-America honors from six different major publications and finished third in the Walter Payton Award voting in 2022.
 
Monmouth's dynamic sophomore led the entire country in rushing at the end of the regular season, including FBS running backs, with 1,722 yards. His 8.4 yards per carry and 156.5 rushing yards per game were both tops in the FCS, earning him CAA Offensive Player of the Year honors. Shirden averaged an impressive 52.8 yards on 13 touchdown runs, including eight 50+ yard touchdown runs. The two-time CAA Offensive Player of the Week ranked third in the conference with his 13 rushing scores.
 
Earlier in the year he set the Monmouth record for rushing yards in a game when he had 299 yards on just 12 carries against Fordham, including touchdown runs of 95 and 80 yards. Shirden had four 200-yard games on the season and nine 100+ yard performances. At one point in the season, the Connecticut native ran for 917 yards over a five-game span. His 8.4 yards per carry marked a new Monmouth single-season record while his 1,722 rushing yards was second most in the school record book.
 
Miller enters his senior season with 78 career receptions for 1,094 yards and eight touchdowns to his name. A 2022 Second Team All-CAA selection, Miller led the Hawks in all three receiving categories with 55 receptions, 820 yards and seven scores. Miller was also named to Phil Steele's All-CAA Second Team following his stellar 2022 campaign. A native of Coatesville, PA, Miller returns as one of Monmouth's top offensive weapons after the group led the CAA in scoring offense last season with 36.1 points per game.
 
Anderson, one of the most physical offensive linemen in the CAA, was a Third Team All-CAA choice after helping pave the way for Shirden's breakout season. Anderson also collected Fourth Team All-CAA honors from Phil Steele following the year. A graduate student from Carlstadt, NJ, Anderson has played in 34 career games, including 16 starts.
 
Reid, a senior defensive back from Owings Mills, MD, finished his 2022 campaign with 12 passes defended, 52 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception. Reid's 11 pass breakups were the fifth most in the NCAA. Reid was named Third Team All-CAA and Third Team All-CAA from Phil Steele/Draft Scout. Reid's 19 career pass breakups are tied for eighth in Monmouth history.

The league also announced its preseason poll where the Hawks were voted eighth out of 15 teams. Defending CAA Co-Champion William & Mary was picked to win the CAA Football title in 2023 according to a vote of the league's head coaches.

CAA Football expands to 15 members in 2023 with the addition of Campbell and North Carolina A&T and looks to continue its tradition of success. Five teams received berths in the FCS playoffs in 2022, which was tied for the most of any conference. The CAA has had at least one team reach the quarterfinals every year since 1995 and has had at least one semifinalist nine times in the last decade. Twelve of the CAA's 15 members have participated in the FCS playoffs since 2015, a feat unmatched by any other conference.
 
Monmouth opens the season at Florida Atlantic University on September 2, 2023. Tickets are on sale now at MonmouthHawks.com/tickets or by calling 732-263-5735.

2023 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
OFFENSE
Name, School                                                 Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown/High School
Max Brosmer, New Hampshire                   Jr.           QB          6-2         217        Roswell, Ga./Centennial
Dylan Laube, New Hampshire                     Sr.          RB          5-10       207        Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach
Jaden Shirden, Monmouth                          Jr.           RB          5-9         195        West Haven, Conn./Cheshire Academy
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary                Sr.          RB          5-11       205        Nappanee, Ind./Northwood
Johncarlos Miller III, Elon                             So.         H-B        6-5         233        Greensboro, N.C./Dudley
Kyle Lepkowski, New Hampshire                Sr.          TE           6-4         256        Adamstown, Md./Tuscarora
Jaaron Hayek, Villanova                               Gr.          WR         6-1         200        Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills
Dymere Miller, Monmouth                          Sr.          WR         6-0         180        Coatesville, Pa./Salisbury School
Jourdan Townsend, Delaware                    Gr.          WR         5-11       185        Farrell, Pa./Farrell
Ryan Coll, Richmond                                     Sr.          OL          6-5         324        Gainesville, Va./Battlefield
Michael Corbi, Villanova                              Gr.          OL          6-3         335        Annapolis, Md./Mount Saint Joseph
Nick Correia, Rhode Island                          Sr.          OL          6-6         330        Nantucket, Mass./Nantucket
Mike Edwards, Campbell                              Gr.          OL          6-7         355        Hope Mills, N.C./South View
Charles Grant, William & Mary                   Jr.           OL          6-4         275        Portsmouth, Va./Churchland
Tairiq Stewart, North Carolina A&T           Gr.          OL          6-6         300        Cleveland, Ohio/Warrensville (WV)
 
DEFENSE
Name, School                                                 Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown/High School
Marlem Louis, Richmond                             Sr.          DL          6-3         250        Venice, Fla./Venice
Nate Lynn, William & Mary                         Sr.          DL          6-3         255        Charlotte, N.C./Zebulon B. Vance
Dylan Ruiz, New Hampshire                        Jr.           DL          6-1         254        Kissimmee, Fla./Osceola
Josiah Silver, New Hampshire                     Jr.           DL          6-2         243        Hampton, Va./Phoebus
Isaiah Jones, William & Mary                      Sr.          LB           6-1         245        Norristown, Pa./La Salle College
John Pius, William & Mary                           Jr.           LB           6-2         230        Arlington, Va./Yorktown
Qwahsin Townsel, Hampton                       Gr.          LB           6-0         225        Egg Harbor, N.J./St. Joseph
Tristan Wheeler, Richmond                         Sr.          LB           6-2         228        Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom
Jalen Jones, William & Mary                       So.         CB          6-0         185        Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek
Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T            Jr.           CB          6-2         180        Portsmouth, Va./I.C. Norcom
Ryan Poole, William & Mary                       Sr.          CB          5-11       185        Annapolis, Md./Saint Mary's
Aaron Banks, Richmond                               Gr.          S             5-11       180        Stephens City, Va./Sherando
Bo Sanders, Elon                                            Sr.          S             6-2         195        Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
Name, School                                                 Cl.          Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Hometown/High School
D'Ago Hunter, Towson                                 Gr.          KR          5-6         160        Culpeper, Va./Eastern View
Dylan Laube, New Hampshire                     Sr.          PR          5-10       207        Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach
Alex Schmoke, Delaware                             Gr.          PK           5-9         160        Bellwood, Pa./Bellwood-Antis
Ryan Kost, Delaware                                     Gr.          P             6-2         220        Newtown, Conn./Newtown
Chandler Brayboy, Elon                                Jr.           SPEC      6-1         201        Pembroke, N.C./Purnell Swett
 
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jaden Shirden, RB, Monmouth
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: John Pius, LB, William & Mary
 
Honorable mention: Kasim Hill, QB, Rhode Island; Reese Poffenbarger, QB, UAlbany; Darius Wilson, QB, William & Mary; Jalen Hampton, RB, Elon; Braden Brose, TE, Delaware; Joey Corcoran, WR, New Hampshire; Kahtero Summers, WR, Rhode Island; Greg Anderson, OL, Monmouth; Fintan Brose, OL, Delaware; Lorenzo Thompson, OL, Rhode Island; Jabril Williams, OL, Elon; Jesus Gibbs, DL, Towson; Jeremiah Grant, DL, Richmond; Anton Juncaj, DL; UAlbany; Chase McGowan, DL, Delaware; Aidan Kaler, LB, Stony Brook; Dylan Kelly, LB, UAlbany; Evan Stewart, LB, Rhode Island; CJ Tillman, LB, Campbell; Kahzir "Buggs" Brown, CB, Maine; Robert Javier, CB, Towson; Mike Reid, CB, Monmouth; Marcus Barnes, S, William & Mary; Jalen Goodman, S, Villanova; Bryson Parker, S, Richmond; Caleb Dowden, PK, Campbell; Matt Mercurio, PK, Villanova; Will Whitehurst, P, William & Mary; Taymon Cooke, KR, North Carolina A&T
 
 
2023 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
 

1. William & Mary (13 first-place votes) 195
2. New Hampshire (1 first-place vote) 179
3. Richmond 159
4. Delaware (1 first-place vote) 149
5. Elon 146
6. Rhode Island 135
7. Villanova 129
8. Monmouth 94
9. Towson 85
10. North Carolina A&T 70
11. UAlbany 64
12. Campbell 62
13. Maine 40
14. Stony Brook 38
15. Hampton 30