NORFOLK, Va. – Bethune-Cookman enters the 2019 football season with 11 players on the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason team and selected to finish to second, it was officially announced today at the league's preseason media conference and luncheon.

The Wildcats are coming off a 7-5 campaign in 2018 in which they finished second in league play with a 5-2 mark. BCU ended the season on a three-game winning streak, including a 33-19 triumph over Florida A&M in the Florida Blue Florida Classic.

"We're healthier and we have some momentum carrying over from the conclusion of last year," said BCU Head Coach Terry Sims. "It makes you eager to get to work and do everything it takes to put a championship caliber team on the field."

Of the 11 preseason nods, six are first teamers – one on offense and five on defense and specials teams.

Leading the way is redshirt-senior Jimmie Robinson as a return specialist. Last year, he led the MEAC in both all-purpose and kickoff return yards, with his 33.2 kickoff return average placing him fourth in the nation.

Also named to the First Team:

C  L'Dre Barnes. The junior from St. Petersburg, Fla. was a third team all-conference selection in 2018.

DL Marques Ford. The red-shirt senior from Gibsonton, Fla. was a first-team all-conference selection after leading BCU with 8.5 sacks.

LB Marquis Hendrix. A red-shirt senior from Ocala, Fla., Hendrix posted 83 tackles last season.

DB Trevor Merritt. The Rockledge, Fla. senior had four interceptions and was a second team all-conference selection in 2018.

DB Tydarius Peters. The Jayess, Miss. product had two of his four interceptions in the final four minutes of the Florida Blue Florida Classic, including the game clinching pick six. He garnered second team all-conference honors.

Cedric Jackson, a red-shirt sophomore offense lineman, was named to the preseason second team. On the third team are QB Akevious Williams (Graduate, Madison, Fla.); offensive linemen Nicholas Roos (Red-shirt senior, Ormond Beach, Fla.) and Jamal Savage (Red-shirt junior, Plant City, Fla.) and defensive lineman Gerome Howard (Junior, Sarasota, Fla.). 
 
The preseason team was voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors, who also selected the Wildcats to finish behind two-time champion North Carolina A&T. Howard University quarterback Caylin Newton was selected as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Delaware State University linebacker Brian Cavicante was selected Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Bethune-Cookman opens the season on Sunday, September 1 against Jackson State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta, Ga.  The game will be broadcast on ESPN 2.