BOONE, N.C. — App State Football returners
Aiden Benton,
Colton Phares and
Tyriq Poindexter received Preseason All-Sun Belt recognition from the league on Monday, two days before the start of the 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days in New Orleans.
Phares (linebacker) and Benton (defensive lineman) were voted to the first-team defense, while Poindexter (offensive lineman) was voted to the second-team offense. The two defenders are both fourth-year players within the five-year eligibility window, and Poindexter is entering his final season of eligibility.
Phares was a second-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2025, when he had 101 tackles to go along with 9.5 tackles for loss, a team-leading three interceptions, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, three pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. He was one of just three players nationally with at least 100 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and three interceptions (joined by Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez and Central Michigan's Jordan Kwiatkowski).
Benton, who started seven of the final eight games in 2025, ended the season with 41 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hurries while also forcing two fumbles.
Poindexter, a redshirt senior on the 2025 roster, started the season opener at right tackle but missed the rest of the year as he recovered from injury. He played in 26 games as a member of VMI's program from 2021-24 and made the All-SoCon first team in 2024.
The 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days will be held Wednesday and Thursday in downtown New Orleans and be broadcast on ESPN+.
App State will be represented in New Orleans on Wednesday by head coach
Dowell Loggains, Phares and quarterback
Malachi Singleton, who appeared in 11 games as a redshirt sophomore for Purdue in 2025 after playing in five games as a redshirt freshman for Arkansas in 2024.
The Mountaineers will be on the main stage at 4 p.m. ET (3 p.m. in New Orleans).
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(First-Place Votes)
East Division
1. James Madison – 94 Points (11)
2. Old Dominion – 73 Points (1)
3. Marshall – 67 Points
4. Georgia Southern – 53 Points (1)
5. Coastal Carolina – 45 Points (1)
6. App State – 43 Points
7. Georgia State – 17 Points
West Division
1. Troy – 96 Points (12)
2. Louisiana – 75 Points (1)
3. Arkansas State – 69 Points
4. Louisiana Tech – 55 Points
5. Southern Miss – 47 Points (1)
6. South Alabama – 31 Points
7. ULM – 19 Points
2026 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
RB – Kenyon Clay, Arkansas State (RS Sr., RB – Union, Miss.)
RB – Devin Roche, Old Dominion (RS Jr., RB – Baltimore, Md.)
OL – Tristian Smith, Arkansas State (RS Sr., OL – Crossett, Ark.)
OL – Zach Greenberg, James Madison (Gr., OL – Livingston, N.J.)
OL – AJ Vinson, ULM (Sr., OL – Social Circle, Ga.)
OL – Tariq Montgomery, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Akron, Ohio)
OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Sr., OL – Columbus, Ohio)
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Sr., TE – Poca, W.Va.)
WR – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., WR – Clewiston, Fla.)
WR – Shelton Sampson Jr., Louisiana (RS Jr., WR – Baton Rouge, La.)
WR – Adrian Norton, Marshall (Sr., WR – Huber Heights, Ohio)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL –
Aiden Benton, App State (RS Jr., DL – Clayton, Ga.)
DL – MJ Stroud, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Amar Thomas, James Madison (RS Sr., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
DL – Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
LB –
Colton Phares, App State (RS Jr., LB – Beaufort, S.C.)
LB – Noah Flemmings, ULM (Sr., LB – Austin, Texas)
LB – Kolbe Fields, Louisiana Tech (Gr., LB – New Orleans, La.)
DB – AG McGhee, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DB – Chipley, Fla.)
DB – Ja'Marion Wayne, Coastal Carolina (Gr., DB – St. Louis, Mo.)
DB – Chance Gamble, Georgia Southern (6th Yr., DB – Fitzgerald, Ga.)
DB – Brent Gordon Jr., Louisiana (So., DB – Cecilia, La.)
DB – Daytione Smith, Marshall (RS Sr., DB – East Highland Park, Va.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Clune Van Andel, Arkansas State (Sr., K – Grand Rapids, Mich.)
P – Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
RS – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., RS – Clewiston, Fla.)
AP – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS Jr., AP – Clewiston, Fla.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Goose Crowder, Troy (Sr., QB – Gardendale, Ala.)
RB – George Pettaway, James Madison (RS Sr., RB – Suffolk, Va.)
RB – Keenan Phillips, South Alabama (Jr., RB – Bainbridge, Ga.)
OL –
Tyriq Poindexter, App State (RS Sr., OL – Roanoke, Va.)
OL – Kaden Moreau, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Pineville, La.)
OL – Ethan Hubbard, South Alabama (RS Jr., OL – Hoover, Ala.)
OL – Kenton Jerido, South Alabama (RS Sr., OL – Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
OL – Jordon Jones, Troy (Sr., OL – Ashland, Ky.)
TE – Eli Finley, Louisiana Tech (Sr., TE – Heath, Texas)
WR – Josh Dallas, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., WR – Sharpsburg, Ga.)
WR – Nic Trujillo, ULM (Sr., WR – Rio Rancho, N.M.)
WR – Anthony Eager, South Alabama (RS Jr., WR – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Anthony Bynum, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – Fitzgerald West Jr., Louisiana (RS Sr., DL – Lafayette, La.)
DL – Braydin Ward, Marshall (RS Jr., DL – Montgomery, W.Va.)
DL – Chris Forbes, Old Dominion (RS So., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
LB – Tray Brown, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., LB – Margate, Fla.)
LB – Brandon Tyson, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., LB – Whiteville, N.C.)
LB – Javae Gilmore, Marshall (RS Sr., LB – Amite, La.)
DB – Myles Woods, Coastal Carolina (Jr., DB – Grayson, Ga.)
DB – Jabari Tiller, ULM (Sr., DB – Sumter, S.C.)
DB – Mario Easterly, Old Dominion (RS Sr., DB – Harrisburg, Pa.)
DB – Zion Frink, Old Dominion (RS Jr., DB – Chesapeake, Va.)
DB – Justin Powe, Troy (Sr., DB – Mobile, Ala.)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Tripp Bryant, Georgia Southern (So., K – Lexington, S.C.)
P – Alex Smith, Georgia Southern (Sr., P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw, Marshall (RS Sr., RS – Bluefield, Va.)
AP – Jordan Lovett, Troy (Jr., AP – Statesboro, Ga.)
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall (RS Sr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Donnie Smith, Troy (Sr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year
Evan Crenshaw, Troy (Sr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
