JONESBORO, Ark. (7/20/09) – Including Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Alex Carrington (Tupelo, Miss.) and Co-Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Corey Leonard (Covington, La.), five Arkansas State football players were named to the 2009 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team that was announced Monday by the conference office as part of its annual Media Days.

Leonard, a senior quarterback, shares the Offensive Player of the Year honors with Florida Atlantic senior quarterback Rusty Smith while Carrington, a senior defensive end, was also the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Joining Leonard on the offensive all-conference team were senior running back Reggie Arnold (Little Rock, Ark.) and junior offensive lineman Drew Hilton (Batesville, Ark.).  Carrington was the only ASU representative on the defensive team, while senior kicker Josh Arauco (Grand Prairie, Texas) joined the list of Sun Belt standouts on special teams.

While the Red Wolves didn't receive any first place votes, they garnered 69 points to finish second in the preseason coaches' Sun Belt poll that was voted on by the league's nine head coaches.  Troy narrowly edged ASU for first place with 72 points and five first-place votes.

Florida Atlantic followed ASU with 61 points, while Middle Tennessee was picked fourth with 52 points.  Florida International came in fifth with 43 points, Louisiana-Lafayette was sixth with 39 points, just edging Louisiana-Monroe, which was voted seventh with 34 points.  North Texas received 18 points to finish eighth in the voting and Western Kentucky received 17 points to finish ninth in the Hilltoppers' first year in the league as a football-playing member.

Preseason All-Sun Belt Team

As voted on by the league's nine head coaches and selected media members.

Offense

Corey Leonard  (Arkansas State, QB, Sr.)

Rusty Smith (Florida Atlantic, Sr, QB)

Reggie Arnold (Arkansas State, RB, Sr.)

DuJuan Harris (Troy, Jr., RB)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, WR, So.)

Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Jr., WR)

Jamari Grant (Florida Atlantic, Sr, TE)

Drew Hilton (Arkansas State, OL, Jr.)

Brad Serini (FIU, OL, Jr.)

Brad Bustle (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., OL)

Chris Fisher (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., OL)

Danny Franks (Troy, Sr., C)

Defense

Alex Carrington (Arkansas State, DL, Sr.)

Aaron Morgan (ULM, DL, Sr.)

Brandon Lang (Troy, DL, Sr.)

Cameron Sheffield (Troy, DL, Sr.)

Cardia Jackson (ULM, LB, Sr.)

Boris Lee (Troy, LB Sr.)

Bear Woods (Troy, LB Sr.)

Anthony Gaitor (FIU, DB, Jr.)

Jeremy Kellem (Middle Tennessee, DB, Sr.)

Greg James (ULM, DB, Sr.)

Jorrick Calvin (Troy, DB Sr.)

Special Teams

Scott Love (ULM, P, Sr.)

Josh Arauco (Arkansas State, K, Sr.)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, WR, So.)

Co - Preseason Offensive Players of the Year

Corey Leonard  (Arkansas State, QB, Sr.)

Rusty Smith (Florida Atlantic, Sr, QB)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Alex Carrington (Arkansas State, Sr., DE)

2009 Preseason Sun Belt Poll

As voted on by the league's nine head coaches. 

First place votes in parentheses.