Football | 7/22/2016 1:55:00 PM

MEDIA DAY CENTRAL

STATESBORO, Ga. – Matt Breida, Andy Kwon, Jay Ellison and Bernard Dawson were named First-Team All-Sun Belt, while Darrius Sapp earned Second-Team honors in the league's Preseason Coaches Poll, announced today. The Eagles were picked to finish third in the league in the coaches' team poll, which was announced Thursday.

A 2016 Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award candidate, Breida (Sr., RB) led both the nation and Sun Belt in rushing yards per carry the past two seasons. Kwon (Sr., C), is a Rimington Award candidate, which is given to the nation's top collegiate center. He was a big part of the nation's leading rushing offense a year ago and returns for his final season.

Ellison (Sr., DT) was a Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection last year, after tallying 33 total tackles (12u, 21a) with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks and one interception. Dawson (Sr., DE), was a Second-Team All-Sun Belt selection along the defensive line a year ago, registering 28 total tackles, including 6.0 for loss and 4.0 sacks for a loss of 36 yards. Sapp (Jr., DT), totaled 23 tackles (7u, 16a), including 1.5 tackles for loss, last year.

Georgia Southern won the 2014 Sun Belt title in its first season in the league and won the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl last year in its first year of bowl eligibility. 

Breida, linebacker Ironhead Gallon and coach Tyson Summers will participate in the Sun Belt Media Day on Monday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The day officially opens with Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson's State of the Sun Belt address at 9 a.m. (CT). The Eagles open camp on Monday, Aug. 1 in Statesboro and will open their season on Sept. 3 at home against Savannah State.

Media Day Coverage
ESPN3 will air two hours of live commercial-free coverage, including interviews with Benson and each of the conference's 11 head football coaches along with Coastal Carolina head coach Joe Moglia. Matt Stewart and John Gregory, the play-by-play and color announcers of the Sun Belt Network on ESPN3, will anchor the live telecast, which begins at 1 p.m. (CT).

In addition, the GS radio crew of Danny Reed and Terry Harvin will be live from New Orleans, broadcasting from 11-noon (CT) on GSEagles.com/watch. The audio broadcast, which will be free, will feature Coach Summers, the two players and other guests.

The Sun Belt Digital Network live coverage of media day will be available for free on media day central and on SunBeltSports.org. Coverage will begin at 9 a.m. (CT) with the State of the Sun Belt Conference address with Commissioner Benson. Coverage will continue all day as host Danielle Jenkins visits with coaches and student-athletes from all teams. The broadcast will feature live look-ins on coaches and student-athletes at the podiums throughout the day.

Fans have the opportunity to have their questions asked live to coaches and student-athletes and are encouraged to use the hashtag #FunBelt on social media. Click here for the Sun Belt Media Day Central. http://www.sunbeltsports.org/custompages/fb_media_day/2016/

Periscope users will be able to login and view coaches and student-athletes answering fan-submitted questions in real time. Each guest on Periscope will be available to solely answer questions submitted through the app. The handle for Georgia Southern is GSAthletics. Fans are also encouraged to follow the entire trip on Twitter (@GSAthletics_FB).

Season Tickets
Fans can purchase 2016 season tickets and select their seats online, by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting the ticket office in the Cowart Building adjacent to Paulson Stadium (203 Lanier Drive). Ticket office hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Season tickets prices start as low as $75 for all five games.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com.

2016 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Football Teams
First Team Offense
Taylor Lamb (Appalachian State, QB, Jr., Physical Education)
Matt Breida (Georgia Southern, RB, Sr., Accounting)
Larry Rose III (New Mexico State, RB, Jr., Communications)
Dijon Paschal (Arkansas State, WR, Jr., Sport Management)
Robert Davis (Georgia State, WR, Jr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Penny Hart (Georgia State, WR, So., Exercise Science)
Gerald Everett (South Alabama, TE, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Parker Collins (Appalachian State, OL, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Jemar Clark (Arkansas State, OL, Sr., General Studies)
Colton Jackson (Arkansas State, OL, Sr., General Studies)
Andy Kwon (Georgia Southern, OL, Sr., Sport Management)
Antonio Garcia (Troy, OL, Sr., Post Graduate-Criminal Justice)
 
First Team Defense
Waylon Roberson (Arkansas State, DL, Sr., General Studies)
Ja'Von Rolland-Jones (Arkansas State, DL, Jr., Sport Management)
Bernard Dawson (Georgia Southern, DL, Sr., Information Technology)
Jay Ellison (Georgia Southern, DL, Sr., General Studies)
Rashad Dillard (Troy, DL, Sr., Psychology)
Eric Boggs (Appalachian State, LB, Jr., Physical Education)
John Law (Appalachian State, LB, Sr., Health Promotion)
Xavier Woodson-Luster (Arkansas State, LB, Sr., Sport Management)
Cody Brown (Arkansas State, DB, Sr., Communication Studies)
Bobby Baker (Georgia State, DB, Sr., Speech)
Savion Brown (UL Lafayette, DB, Sr., General Studies)
Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama, DB, Jr., Sports and Recreation Management)
 
First Team Special Teams
Austin Rehkow (Idaho, P, Sr., Exercise Science and Health)
Austin Rehkow (Idaho, PK, Sr., Exercise Science and Health)
Blaise Taylor (Arkansas State, RS, Jr., Business Administration)
 
Second Team Offense
Matt Linehan (Idaho, QB, Jr., Broadcast and Digital Media)
Marcus Cox (Appalachian State, RB, Sr., Management)
Elijah McGuire (UL Lafayette, RB, Sr., General Studies)
Callen Hightower (Idaho, WR, Sr., General Studies)
AJalen Holley (ULM, WR, Sr., Kinesiology)
Josh Magee (South Alabama, WR, Sr., Communication)
Keith Rucker (Georgia State, TE, Sr., Speech)
Colby Gossett (Appalachian State, OL, Jr., Management)
Devin Mondie (Arkansas State, OL, Sr., Communication Studies)
Anthony McMeans (New Mexico State, OL, Sr., Individualized Studies)
Curtis Williams (South Alabama, OL, Sr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
Ryan Melton (Texas State, OL, Sr., Agriculture)
 
Second Team Defense
Darrius Sapp (Georgia Southern, DL, Jr., General Studies)
Shawanye Lawrence (Georgia State, DL, Sr., Psychology)
Karmichael Dunbar (UL Lafayette, DL, Sr., Criminal Justice)
Taboris Lee (UL Lafayette, DL, Jr., General Studies)
Khari Lain (Arkansas State, LB, Jr., Strategic Communications/Public Relations)
Otha Peters (UL Lafayette, LB, Sr., General Studies)
Roman Buchanan (South Alabama, LB, Sr., Exercise Science)
Chris Humes (Arkansas State, DB, Sr., Health Promotions)
Blaise Taylor (Arkansas State, DB, Jr., Business Administration)
Tracy Walker (UL Lafayette, DB, Jr., Sports Management)
Tre' Hunter (UL Monroe, DB, Sr., General Studies)
Kalen Jackson (South Alabama, DB, Sr., Communication)
 
Second Team Special Teams
Lumi Kaba (Texas State, P, Sr., Exploratory Professional Studies)
Aleem Sunanon (South Alabama, PK, Sr., Masters of Public Administration)
Xavier Johnson (South Alabama, RS, Jr., Interdisciplinary Studies)
 
Preseason Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year
Larry Rose III (New Mexico State, RB, Jr., Communications)
 
Preseason Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year
John Law (Appalachian State, LB, Sr., Health Promotion)