Five Bowie State Bulldogs Selected to Football Preseason All-CIAA Team Bulldogs Picked to Finish Sec

ROANOKE, Va. - The Bowie State University football team has been predicted to finish second overall in the CIAA but first in the all-important Northern Division according to the 2017 conference preseason poll, which was released in advance of Thursday’s(7/20) football media day at the Sheraton Roanoke Hotel.

The defending CIAA Northern Division Champion Bulldogs return 47 lettermen including 17 starters from last year's squad. Bowie State finished the 2016 campaign with an impressive 7-4 overall record, 6-1 mark in the CIAA and participated in the conference championship game for the second consecutive season.

Of the 27 member preseason team, Bowie State is represented by seniors Victor Tamba (OL – District Heights, Md.), Daris Johnson (OL – Waldorf, Md.), juniors Amir Hall (QB – Bowie, Md.), Robert Chesson (RB – Annapolis, Md.) on offense and senior Rahman Kamara (DB – Bowie, Md.) on the Bulldogs defensive side of the ball. The conference Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason Team are voted on by the CIAA Football Coaches Association and conference Sports Information Directors.

For the seventh consecutive year, the defending CIAA Champions of Winston-Salem State University were selected to finish as the top team in the conference in 2017 followed by Bowie State University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University and Fayetteville State University made up the top five teams. Chowan University was voted as the sixth overall ranked team in the conference followed by Elizabeth City State University, Saint Augustine’s University, Shaw University, Johnson C. Smith University, Livingstone College and Lincoln University of Pennsylvania.

Bowie State will open up the season on September 2nd on the road at the Seton Hill University Griffins of Greensburg, Pa. at 3 pm. Seton Hill is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (West Division) and finished the 2016 season with an overall record of 5-6 (2-5 in the conference).

Predicted Divisional Order of Finish

Northern Division

1. Bowie State University

2. Virginia State University

3. Virginia Union University

4. Chowan University

5. Elizabeth City State University

6. Lincoln (Pa.) University

Southern Division

1. Winston-Salem State University

2. Fayetteville State University

3. Saint Augustine’s University