FRISCO, Texas – The defending Southland Conference champion McNeese Cowboys football team had nine players listed on the 2016 Preseason All-Southland Conference Football Teams released by the league office on Wednesday, including six who garnered first team honors.
 
The announcement comes exactly one week prior to the league's annual Football Media Day event that will be held in Lake Charles at the L'auberge Resort.
 
Headlining the Cowboys' selections are preseason all-America defensive standouts 
Isaiah Golden and 
Dominique Hill, both of whom have been tabbed by several organizations on their respective all-America squads.
 
Joining Golden, a junior defensive lineman, and Hill, a junior safety, on the first team is senior tight end 
Zach Hetrick, junior wide receiver 
Kent Shelby, senior offensive lineman 
Mason Martin, and junior linebacker 
Ashari Goins.
 
Preseason second team honors go to junior running back 
Ryan Ross, junior defensive lineman Jammerio Gross, and junior cornerback 
Jermaine Antoine.
 
Golden is being regarded as one of the top defensive linemen in the nation and has already caught attention from NFL scouts. He led the team with 10 quarterback hurries last season to go along with 31 tackles and two tackles for a loss.
 
Goins is the team's top returning tackler from a year ago having recorded 62 stops on the season. He tied for the team lead with four sacks and ranked second on the squad with 8.5 tackles for a loss.
 
Hill led the team with 11 tackles for a loss while ranking fifth with 56 total tackles. He also broke up a team-best nine passes and had one interception.
 
Shelby led the Cowboys with 36 pass receptions last season to go along with a team-high 668 receiving yards and an 18.56 yards per catch average. He also hauled in a team-best six touchdown passes.
 
Hetrick caught 10 passes last season for 104 yards and a touchdown and Martin was a big part of the Cowboys' running game success that saw the team average 233 yards on the ground with scoring 25 rushing touchdowns.
 
Ross is the team's top returning rusher after having tracked 891 yards last season with nine touchdowns. He averaged 81 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry.
 
Antoine recorded 36 tackles in 2015 and led the team with two pass interceptions. Gross made 22 stops and tied for the team lead with four sacks to go along with 8.5 tackles for a loss.
 
Sam Houston State leads all league schools with 14 all-conference selections followed by Central Arkansas with 10 and McNeese nine. Lamar landed five on the teams followed by Abilene Christian with four and Incarnate Word, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin with three each. Houston Baptist and Southeastern Louisiana are represented by two players each while Nicholls placed one on the preseason teams.
 
The conference's two preseason polls – coaches and sports information directors – will be announced the morning of July 27 at Media Day.
 
The Cowboys will report for camp on August 3 and open the season on September 3 at home against Tarleton State.
 
 
2016 Preseason All-Southland Conference Football Teams
First-Team Offense
	
		
			| Pos. | 
			Name | 
			University | 
			Ht. | 
			Wt. | 
			Cl. | 
			Hometown | 
		
		
			| QB | 
			Zach Conque | 
			Stephen F. Austin | 
			6-6 | 
			237 | 
			Sr. | 
			Little Rock, Ark. | 
		
		
			| RB | 
			Kade Harrington | 
			Lamar | 
			5-9 | 
			190 | 
			Sr. | 
			Kingwood, Texas | 
		
		
			| RB | 
			Corey Avery | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			5-10 | 
			190 | 
			Jr. | 
			Dallas, Texas | 
		
		
			| TE/HB | 
			Zach Hetrick | 
			McNeese | 
			6-3 | 
			250 | 
			Sr. | 
			Baton Rouge, La. | 
		
		
			| WR | 
			Desmond Smith | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			6-1 | 
			201 | 
			Sr. | 
			Bentonville, Ark. | 
		
		
			| WR | 
			Kent Shelby | 
			McNeese | 
			6-3 | 
			194 | 
			Jr. | 
			New Orleans, La. | 
		
		
			| WR | 
			Yedidiah Louis | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			5-8 | 
			187 | 
			Jr. | 
			Richardson, Texas | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Bret Treadway | 
			Lamar | 
			6-3 | 
			280 | 
			Sr. | 
			Silsbee, Texas | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Stockton Mallett | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			6-3 | 
			298 | 
			Jr. | 
			Harrison, Ark. | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Mason Martin | 
			McNeese | 
			6-2 | 
			286 | 
			Sr. | 
			Pineville, La. | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Bridge Blount | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			5-10 | 
			295 | 
			Sr. | 
			Huntsville, Texas | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Curtis Riser | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-4 | 
			320 | 
			Sr. | 
			DeSoto, Texas | 
		
		
			| AP | 
			Yedidiah Louis | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			5-8 | 
			187 | 
			Jr. | 
			Richardson, Texas | 
		
		
			| PK | 
			Luc Swimberghe | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-0 | 
			197 | 
			Sr. | 
			Natchitoches, La. | 
		
	
 
First-Team Defense
	
		
			| Pos. | 
			Name | 
			University | 
			Ht. | 
			Wt. | 
			Cl. | 
			Hometown | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			P.J. Hall | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-1 | 
			280 | 
			Jr. | 
			Seguin, Texas | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			Isaiah Golden | 
			McNeese | 
			6-2 | 
			335 | 
			Jr. | 
			Carthage, Texas | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			Larance Hale | 
			Lamar | 
			6-2 | 
			280 | 
			Sr. | 
			Tatum, Texas | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			John Franklin | 
			Stephen F. Austin | 
			6-4 | 
			284 | 
			Jr. | 
			Greenville, Texas | 
		
		
			| LB | 
			Sam Denmark | 
			Abilene Christian | 
			6-1 | 
			230 | 
			Jr. | 
			Las Cruces, N.M. | 
		
		
			| LB | 
			Ashari Goins | 
			McNeese | 
			5-10 | 
			200 | 
			Jr. | 
			Monroe, La. | 
		
		
			| LB | 
			Antreon Bennett | 
			Southeastern La. | 
			6-0 | 
			225 | 
			Sr. | 
			West Point, Miss. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Tremon Smith | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			6-0 | 
			185 | 
			Jr. | 
			Anniston, Ala. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Jabari Butler | 
			Abilene Christian | 
			5-11 | 
			180 | 
			So. | 
			Potomac, Md. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Dominique Hill | 
			McNeese | 
			5-10 | 
			177 | 
			Jr. | 
			Mansfield, La. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			B.T. Sanders | 
			Nicholls | 
			6-0 | 
			190 | 
			Sr. | 
			Foley, Ala. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Darion Flowers | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-0 | 
			195 | 
			Sr. | 
			Tyler, Texas | 
		
		
			| P | 
			Christian Guzman | 
			Houston Baptist | 
			5-11 | 
			165 | 
			Jr. | 
			Brookshire, Texas | 
		
		
			| KR | 
			Rodney Randle | 
			Lamar | 
			5-10 | 
			200 | 
			So. | 
			Beaumont, Texas | 
		
		
			| PR | 
			Brandon Cox | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			5-9 | 
			180 | 
			Jr. | 
			Conway, Ark. | 
		
	
 
Second-Team Offense
	
		
			| Pos. | 
			Name | 
			University | 
			Ht. | 
			Wt. | 
			Cl. | 
			Hometown | 
		
		
			| QB | 
			Jeremiah Briscoe | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-3 | 
			220 | 
			Jr. | 
			Houston, Texas | 
		
		
			| RB | 
			Ryan Ross | 
			McNeese | 
			5-9 | 
			205 | 
			Jr. | 
			Richwood, Texas | 
		
		
			| RB | 
			De'Mard Llorens | 
			Northwestern State | 
			5-10 | 
			214 | 
			Sr. | 
			Natchitoches, La. | 
		
		
			| TE/HB | 
			Cody Dauksch | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			6-1 | 
			221 | 
			Sr. | 
			West Memphis, Tenn. | 
		
		
			| WR | 
			Jatavious Wilson | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			5-9 | 
			171 | 
			Sr. | 
			Bastrop, La. | 
		
		
			| WR | 
			Davion Davis | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			5-11 | 
			175 | 
			So. | 
			Hutto, Texas | 
		
		
			| WR | 
			Shakeir Ryan | 
			Northwestern State | 
			5-8 | 
			161 | 
			Sr. | 
			Lafayette, La. | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Riley Mayfield | 
			Abilene Christian | 
			6-7 | 
			305 | 
			Jr. | 
			Cedar Park, Texas | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Terrance Boyd | 
			Northwestern State | 
			6-3 | 
			324 | 
			Sr. | 
			Baytown, Texas | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Dakota Laws | 
			Abilene Christian | 
			6-3 | 
			320 | 
			So. | 
			Denton, Texas | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Sam Hardy | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-3 | 
			310 | 
			Sr. | 
			West Hills, Calif. | 
		
		
			| OL | 
			Travis Romero | 
			Southeastern La. | 
			6-3 | 
			320 | 
			Jr. | 
			Manvel, Texas | 
		
		
			| AP | 
			Jatavious Wilson | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			5-9 | 
			171 | 
			Sr. | 
			Bastrop, La. | 
		
	
 
Second-Team Defense
	
		
			| Pos. | 
			Name | 
			University | 
			Ht. | 
			Wt. | 
			Cl. | 
			Hometown | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			Luis Carreno | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-2 | 
			245 | 
			Sr. | 
			Coppell, Texas | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			Jammerio Gross | 
			McNeese | 
			6-3 | 
			240 | 
			Jr. | 
			Shreveport, La. | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			Terrence Partee | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			6-3 | 
			278 | 
			Sr. | 
			Memphis, Tenn. | 
		
		
			| DL | 
			Sione Latu | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-0 | 
			285 | 
			Sr. | 
			Euless, Texas | 
		
		
			| LB | 
			Josh Zellars | 
			UIW | 
			6-0 | 
			210 | 
			Sr. | 
			Baytown, Texas | 
		
		
			| LB | 
			Collins Okotcha | 
			Sam Houston State | 
			6-1 | 
			220 | 
			So. | 
			Coppell, Texas | 
		
		
			| LB | 
			Garrett Dolan | 
			Houston Baptist | 
			6-2 | 
			240 | 
			Jr. | 
			Mont Belvieu, Texas | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Jermaine Antoine | 
			McNeese | 
			5-11 | 
			191 | 
			Jr. | 
			Loreauville, La. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			George Odum | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			6-2 | 
			185 | 
			Jr. | 
			Millington, Tenn. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Brendan Langley | 
			Lamar | 
			6-1 | 
			190 | 
			Sr. | 
			Marietta, Ga. | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Adrian Norwood | 
			UIW | 
			6-0 | 
			210 | 
			Sr. | 
			Waco, Texas | 
		
		
			| DB | 
			Patrick Martin | 
			Stephen F. Austin | 
			5-9 | 
			186 | 
			Sr. | 
			Spring, Texas | 
		
		
			| KR | 
			Jatavious Wilson | 
			Central Arkansas | 
			5-9 | 
			171 | 
			Sr. | 
			Bastrop, La. | 
		
		
			| PR | 
			Jordan Hicks | 
			UIW | 
			5-8 | 
			175 | 
			Sr. | 
			Arlington, Texas |