Curtain, a junior safety and former Grimsley standout, was named the preseason defensive player of the year. After an impressive sophomore season where the Greensboro native led the Phoenix with eighty tackles and four interceptions, including a pick-six against Wake Forest in the season opener, Curtain is poised to lead a defense that gave up less than two hundred yards passing a game last season. Curtain was joined by his teammate, wide receiver and electric kick returner Chandler Brayboy, on the all-conference team. Other North Carolina-based players on the preseason all-conference team include Campbell’s CJ Tillman, North Carolina A&T’s Karon Prunty, and Mountain Island’s Elijah Burris, who plays running back for Hampton.
Villanova, which earned a share of the 2023 CAA Championship and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs last season, was voted as the 2024 preseason favorite by the league’s head coaches. The Wildcats received nine of the available 16 first-place votes and totaled 217 points, while Richmond took second with one first-place tally and 189 points.
UAlbany garnered three first-place votes and finished third with 179 points, followed by William & Mary (175 points) and Delaware (163), which also picked up three first-place nods. Elon (157) was chosen sixth, followed by New Hampshire (150), Rhode Island (142), Towson (114), Monmouth (95), Campbell (83), Hampton (62), Maine (57), North Carolina A&T (49), Bryant (46) and Stony Brook (42).
2024 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
OFFENSE
Connor Watkins, Villanova | Gr. | QB | Williamsport, Pa.
Elijah Burris, Hampton | Sr. | RB | Gastonia, N.C.
Griffin Woodell, UAlbany | So. | RB | Glens Falls, N.Y.
Marcus Yarns, Delaware | Gr. | RB | Salisbury, Md.
Bronson Yoder, William & Mary | Sr. | RB | Nappanee, Ind.
Trey McDonald, William & Mary | Jr. | FB/HB | Kinnelon, N.J.
Carter Runyon, Towson | Sr. | TE | Fairfax, Va.
Chandler Brayboy, Elon | Sr. | WR | Pembroke, N.C.
Nick DeGennaro, Richmond | Sr. | WR | Old Bridge, N.J.
Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook | So. | WR | Burlington, N.J.
Temi Ajirotutu, Villanova | Gr. | OL | Queens, N.Y.
Fintan Brose, Delaware | Gr. | OL | Irwin, Pa.
Charles Grant, William & Mary | Sr. | OL | Portsmouth, Va.
Ozzie Hutchinson, UAlbany | Gr. | OL | Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Will Marotta, UAlbany | Gr. | OL | Collegeville, Pa.
Ralph Paige, Jr., Towson | Sr. | OL | Washington, D.C.
DEFENSE
Jeremiah Grant, Richmond | Sr. | DL | South Orange, N.J.
Westley Neal, Jr., Rhode Island | Sr. | DL | Miami, Fla.
Michael Otty, Bryant | Sr. | DL | Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dylan Ruiz, New Hampshire | Sr. | DL | Orlando, Fla.
Josiah Silver, New Hampshire | Sr. | DL | Hampton, Va.
Brendan Bell, Villanova | Gr. | LB | Basking Ridge, N.J.
Shane Hartzell, Villanova | Jr. | LB | Perkasie, Pa.
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island | Jr. | LB | Branchburg, N.J.
CJ Tillman, Campbell | Sr. | LB | Rockingham, N.C.
Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T | Jr. | CB | Portsmouth, Va.
Isas Waxter, Villanova | Gr. | CB | Newark, N.J.
Caleb Curtain, Elon | Jr. | S | Greensboro, N.C.
Ty Trinh, Villanova | Gr. | S | Owings Mills, Md.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Chandler Brayboy, Elon | Sr. | KR | Pembroke, N.C.
Gabe Sloat, Rhode Island | Sr. | PR | North Kingstown, R.I.
Keegan Vaughan, Towson | Sr. | PK | Richmond, Va.
Aaron Trusler, Richmond | Gr. | P | Melbourne, Australia
Jabril Hayes, Richmond | Sr. | SPEC | Stephens City, Va.
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Connor Watkins, QB, Villanova
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Caleb Curtain, S, Elon
HONORABLE MENTION: Matthew Downing, QB, Elon; Derek Robertson, QB, Monmouth; Malachi Imoh, RB, William & Mary; Marquis Buchanan, WR, Rhode Island; Joe Gillette, WR, Maine; Jaylan Sanchez, WR, Villanova; Logan Tomlinson, WR, New Hampshire; Cooper Heisey, TE, Maine; Ryan McKenna, OL, William & Mary; Dion Crews-Harris, DL, Towson; Cazeem Moore, DL, Elon; Wayne Galloway, LB, Richmond; Ryan Toscano, LB, New Hampshire; Tyron Herring, CB, Delaware; Marcus Barnes, S, William & Mary; JoJo Bermudez, KR, Delaware; TJ Speight, KR, Monmouth; VJ Wilkins, KR, Campbell; John Opalko, PK, UAlbany; Josh Cupitt, P, Delaware; Bobby Cleary, SPEC, Campbell
2024 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
1. Villanova (9 first-place votes) 217
2. Richmond (1) 189
3. UAlbany (3) 179
4. William & Mary 175
5. Delaware (3) 163
6. Elon 157
7. New Hampshire 150
8. Rhode Island 142
9. Towson 114
10. Monmouth 95
11. Campbell 83
12. Hampton 62
13. Maine 57
14. North Carolina A&T 49
15. Bryant 46
16. Stony Brook 42
.png)
