NORFOLK, Va. - Six North Carolina Central University Eagles have earned recognition on the 2022 Preseason All-MEAC Football Team, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced on Friday, July 29.

NCCU junior quarterback Davius Richard, junior offensive lineman Corey Bullock, junior placekicker Adrian Olivo, and junior return specialist Brandon Codrington were voted to the Preseason All-MEAC First Team, while senior defensive lineman Jessie Malit and junior defensive back Manny Smith were selected to the Preseason All-MEAC Second Team.

In voting conducted by the conference's head football coaches and sports information directors, NCCU is predicted to repeat as the MEAC runner-up. The Eagles, who posted a 6-5 overall record with just one conference loss in 2021, received 92 votes, while the predicted repeat champion South Carolina State claimed 124 votes and third place Norfolk State earned 80 votes.

Richard (Jr., 6-3, 200, Belle Glade, Fla.) claimed All-MEAC Second Team recognition in 2021, after ranking second in the MEAC with 2,496 yards of total offense, an average of 226.9 total yards per contest. He threw for 2,133 yards to become just the second quarterback in NCCU history to register more than 2,000 passing yards in consecutive seasons, while completing 58.0% of his passes (177-for-305) and accounting for 23 total touchdowns (15 passing, 8 rushing). After his first two seasons (2019, 2021), Richard ranks eighth on NCCU's all-time career passing list with 4,153 passing yards, and seventh in career total offense with 4,761 total yards.

Bullock (Jr., 6-4, 290, Accokeek, Md.) captured All-MEAC Second Team merit last season, topping the Eagles with a grade of 85%, along with team-highs of 14 pancake blocks and nine knockdowns. He played multiple positions on the offensive front, surrendering just one sack in 11 games.

Olivo (Jr., 5-10, 160, Plant City, Fla.) garnered an All-MEAC First Team citation after leading the MEAC with 11 field goals made and ranking second in the nation in field goal percentage (91.7%), converting 11 of 12 field goal attempts with a long of 43 yards. He also topped the Eagles in scoring with 58 points.

Codrington (Jr., 5-9, 170, Raleigh, N.C.) earned All-MEAC First Team and BOXTOROW HBCU All-America awards as the third-leading punt returner in NCAA Division I-FCS with a MEAC-best 15.0-yard punt return average. He also ranked second in the league with a 22.5-yard kickoff return average.

Malit (R-Sr., 6-3, 235, Concord, N.C.) received All-MEAC Third Team honors after collecting 28 tackles with 5.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. His 3.5 sacks tied for the team lead and ranked fifth in the conference.

Smith (R-Jr., 6-0, 180, Laurel Hill, N.C.) placed third on the squad with 61 tackles, including a team-high 44 solo stops, with a sack, two pass break-ups, an interception, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He was named Defensive MVP of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge with 10 takedowns, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the win over Alcorn State. 

For the complete list of 2022 Preseason All-MEAC Football Teams, visit MEACsports.com.

For more information about NCCU Football, visit NCCUEaglePride.com or download the NCCU Eagles Athletics app.
 

Here is the MEAC's predicted order of finish for the 2022 season (first-place votes in parentheses):

School (First-Place Votes) = Points
1. South Carolina State (8) = 124
2. North Carolina Central (1) = 92
3. Norfolk State = 80
4. Delaware State (1) = 58
5. Howard (1) = 52
6. Morgan State (1) = 26