Rhode Island Favored To Capture CAA Football Title In 2025
RICHMOND, Va. (July 23, 2025) – Rhode Island, which is coming off a program-best 11-3 season that included a share of the CAA Football championship and its first FCS playoff berth since 1985, has been picked to finish atop the standings in 2025 according to a vote of the league’s head coaches.
The Rams received eight first-place votes and 163 points in the preseason poll. Monmouth garnered four first-place votes and was second with 142 points, while Villanova got the remaining two first-place tallies and was third with 139 points. Stony Brook (125 points) finished fourth in the voting and was followed by UNH (119 points), Towson (108 points), William & Mary (104 points) and Elon (98 points). Rounding out the poll were Maine (71 points), Campbell (53 points), Hampton (50 points), UAlbany (47 points), Bryant (32 points) and North Carolina A&T (23 points).
In addition to the poll, coaches voted for the preseason all-conference team. Monmouth graduate quarterback Derek Robertson was selected as the CAA Offensive Player of the Year after completing 283-of-435 passes for 3,397 yards and 31 touchdowns last season. He led FCS in passing yards per game (328.1) and total offense (325.3 ypg) in 2024. Rhode Island senior linebacker A.J. Pena was chosen as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year after recording 82 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries a year ago. He ranked fourth in FCS in TFL’s and second in sacks in 2024.
Rhode Island returns 11 starters from last year’s team that set a program record for wins and reached the second round of the FCS playoffs. Eight of those starters are on offense, including quarterback Devin Farrell, wide receivers Marquis Buchanan and Greg Gaines III and all five regulars on the offensive line. Pena is joined by safety Andre DePina-Gray on defense.
Monmouth, which was 6-6 a year ago, led FCS in total offense (489.9 ypg) and ranked second in scoring (39.0 ppg) in 2024. Robertson guides a familiar cast with top receivers Josh Derry and TJ Speight returning along with tight end Jack Neri and running back Rodney Nelson. The Hawks’ defense is led by safety Deuce Lee.
Villanova finished 11-4 and made the FCS playoff field for the fourth time in six seasons in 2024. The Wildcats feature a potent rushing attack with backs David Avit and Isaiah Ragland running behind All-America center Jake Picard. All-America linebacker Shane Hartzell and lineman Obinna Nwobodo are back on a defense that surrendered just 18.6 ppg.
Stony Brook registered the biggest turnaround in FCS football a year ago with an 8-4 mark in coach Billy Cosh’s first season. Spearheading the offense is All-America running back Roland Dempster, who ranked in the top six in FCS in rushing yards and touchdowns. Linebackers AJ Roberts and Anthony Ferrelli were the Seawolves’ top two tackles last year.
2025 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
OFFENSE
Name, School Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown
Derek Robertson, Monmouth Gr. QB 6-2 200 Hartsdale, N.Y.
David Avit, Villanova So. RB 6-0 220 Frederick, Md.
Roland Dempster, Stony Brook Gr. RB 6-0 225 Staten Island, N.Y.
Trey McDonald, William & Mary Sr. FB/HB 6-6 230 Kinnelon, N.J.
Jack Neri, Monmouth Gr. TE 6-3 245 Doylestown, Pa.
Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island Jr. WR 6-4 175 Providence, R.I.
Josh Derry, Monmouth Jr. WR 5-9 175 Towson, Md.
TJ Speight, Monmouth Sr. WR 5-11 170 Fort Meade, Md.
Tre Alexander, Rhode Island Gr. OL 6-5 320 Queens, N.Y.
Brock Bethea, Rhode Island Gr. OL 6-2 304 Irwin, Pa.
JT Cornelius, Monmouth 6th OL 6-6 290 Toms River, N.J.
Niko Papic, Stony Brook Sr. OL 6-4 300 Portsmouth, Va.
Jake Picard, Villanova Gr. OL 6-4 310 Hope, R.I.
Korion Sharpe, North Carolina A&T Sr. OL 6-4 315 Charlotte, N.C.
DEFENSE
Name, School Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown
Davin Dzidzienyo, William & Mary Sr. DL 6-4 295 Northwest, D.C.
Rodney Faulk, Stony Brook Sr. DL 6-3 250 Washington, D.C.
Obinna Nwobodo, Villanova Gr. DL 6-3 295 Wilmington, Del.
Michael Otty, Bryant Gr. DL 6-1 292 Brooklyn, N.Y.
Luke Banbury, William & Mary Gr. LB 6-2 235 Pittsburgh, Pa.
Shane Hartzell, Villanova Sr. LB 6-0 230 Perkasie, Pa.
A.J. Pena, Rhode Island Sr. LB 6-2 243 Montclair, N.J.
AJ Roberts, Stony Brook Gr. LB 6-0 230 Staten Island, N.Y.
Myles Brodie, Towson Gr. CB 6-2 175 Hyattsville, Md.
Jalen Jones, William & Mary Sr. CB 6-0 190 Chesapeake, Va.
Deuce Lee, Monmouth Jr. S 5-11 195 Silver Spring, Md.
Xavier Terry, Towson Sr. S 5-10 190 Washington, D.C.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Name, School Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown
Trevin Ewing, Maine Sr. KR 5-11 190 Elkton, Md.
TJ Speight, Monmouth Sr. KR 5-11 170 Fort Meade, Md.
Carson Jenkins, William & Mary Jr. PR 5-10 175 Gate City, Va.
Enda Kirby, Stony Brook Sr. PK 6-2 220 Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Jeff Yurk, Elon Sr. P 6-2 224 Southern Pines, N.C.
Jonathan Ward, Hampton Sr. SPEC 5-10 240 Durham, N.C.
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Derek Robertson, QB, Monmouth
CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: A.J. Pena, LB, Rhode Island
Honorable mention: Devin Farrell, QB, Rhode Island; Carter Peevy, QB, Maine; Rodney Nelson, RB, Monmouth; Dylan Magazu, FB/HB, Elon; Sean McElwain, TE, William & Mary; Caleb Burke, WR, UNH; John Dunmore, WR, Towson; Ryan McKenna, OL, William & Mary; Stephane Voltaire, OL, Villanova; Kahmari Brown, DL, Elon; Ty Gordon, DL, William & Mary; Anthony Ferrelli, LB, Stony Brook; Rodney Roane, LB, Towson; Christian Thomas, LB, Maine; Jamaree Gibson, CB, Maine; Brandon Guzman, CB, Campbell; Ayinde Johnson, CB, Rhode Island; Zahmir Dawud, S, Villanova; Will Hicks, S, Hampton; Thomas Joe-Kamara, S, UAlbany; Devin Vaught, S, Maine; Aaron Harris, KR, North Carolina A&T
2025 CAA FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(Selected by a vote of Head Coaches)
- Rhode Island (8 first-place votes) 163
- Monmouth (4 first-place votes) 142
- Villanova (2 first-place votes) 139
- Stony Brook 125
- UNH 119
- Towson 108
- William & Mary 104
- Elon 98
- Maine 71
- Campbell 53
- Hampton 50
- UAlbany 47
- Bryant 32
- North Carolina A&T 23
