CIAA picks Winston-Salem State and Bowie State as best in 2016 football

DURHAM, N. C.
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and its Football Coaches Association announced last week the 2016 CIAA Football Predicted Order of Finish and the Preseason All-CIAA Team.

For the second consecutive season, the Rams of Winston-Salem State, led by head coach Kienus Boulware, have been selected as the predicted championship favorite. The defending South Division and CIAA champion Rams finished 6-5 last season with a 5-2 conference record. Bowie State was selected to finish second after winning the North Division last season and falling to WSSU in the 2015 CIAA Championship and then to Assumption College in the first round of NCAA DII playoffs.

The 2016 Preseason All-CIAA Football Team is led by a standout group of senior student-athletes. Stephen Scott, Lincoln (Pa.) running back, led the conference in yards per game (125.8) and tied for first in rushing touchdowns (10) in 2015. Bowie State Bulldogs’ wide receiver Nyme Manns also highlights the preseason team after completing his junior season ranked second in the CIAA with 92 receiving yards per game and tied for the first place rank with 13 receiving touchdowns. Johnson C. Smith safety Carlo Thomas, who led the nation with 12 interceptions, 1.2 per game last season, leads the defense. Thomas was picked to several preseason NCAA Div. II all-American teams.