Three Miners Make Preseason All-Conference USA Team

The preseason All-Conference USA awards and polls have been released with three Miners making the All C-USA team. Running back Aaron Jones and tight end Eric Tomlinson made First Team Offense. Special Teams was represented by kick returner Autrey Golden. In the preseason coaches poll, UTEP was picked to finish sixth in Conference USA's West Division.

2014 Conference USA Preseason Teams & Awards

Offense
QB - Rakeem Cato, Sr., Marshall
RB - Kenneth Dixon, Jr., Louisiana Tech
RB - Aaron Jones, So., UTEP
WR - Jamarcus Nelson, Sr., UAB
WR - Tommy Shuler, Sr., Marshall
WR - Jordan Taylor., Sr., Rice
TE - Eric Tomlinson, Sr., UTEP
OL - Scott Inskeep, Sr., UTSA
OL - Chris Jasperse, Sr., Marshall
OL - Cyril Lemon, Sr., North Texas
OL - Clint Van Horn, Jr., Marshall
OL - Mason Y’Barbo, Sr., North Texas

Defense
DL - Vernon Butler, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DL - Christian Covington, Jr., Rice
DL - Ra’Shawde Myers, Sr., Marshall
DL - James Rouse, Sr., Marshall
LB - T.T. Barber, Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB - Evan McKelvey, Sr., Marshall
LB - Andrae Kirk, Jr., Florida Atlantic
DB - Kevin Byard, Jr., Middle Tennessee
DB - Bryce Callahan, Sr., Rice
DB - D’Joun Smith, Sr., Florida Atlantic
DB - Triston Wade, Sr., UTSA

Special Teams
PK - Sean Ianno, Sr., UTSA
P - Hunter Mullins, Sr., UAB
KR - Autrey Golden, Jr., UTEP
PR - Kenny Harrison, Sr., UTSA
DS - Jesse Medrano, Sr., UTSA

Offensive Player of the Year: Rakeem Cato, Marshall
Defensive Player of the Year: James Rouse, Marshall
Special Teams Player of the Year: Hunter Mullins, UAB

Conference USA Preseason Predicted Order Of Finish

East Division
1. Marshall (91)
2. Middle Tennessee (73)
3. Florida Atlantic (60)
4. Western Kentucky (57)
5. Old Dominion (33)
6. UAB (31)
7. FIU (19)

West Division
1. North Texas (66)
2. Rice (65)
3. UTSA (62)
4. Louisiana Tech (38)
5. Southern Mississippi (24)
6. UTEP (18)

Full Press Release