SAN ANTONIO – Three Texas A&M University-Commerce football players have been named to preseason all-Southland Conference teams, while the Lion football team was picked to finish eighth in the new-look Southland in 2024 on Monday morning as part of the Southland Football Opening Drive.
 
Max Epps (Spring – Dekaney) a returning first team all-conference defensive back was named to first team all-conference in the preseason, while punter Mitchell McGarry (Tannum Sands, Australia) and defensive back Jaden Rios (Frisco – Lone Star) were named to the second team.
 
Epps is also the program's and the athletic department's first All-American in the Division I era, being named to third team All-America by the Associated Press last season. He finished the regular season as the FCS leader in return yards and recorded four interceptions, which is tied for 10th in the country.
 
He was named Stats FCS National Player of the Week and Conference Player of the Week after the game at Old Dominion, and totaled 48 tackles as well as three breakups on the season.
 
McGarry recorded 62 punts for 2,453 yards on an average of 39.56 yards per punt average last season. He totaled three touchbacks, 20 punts inside the 20, eight punts of 50 yards or more, and the longest punt of the season was 58 yards. Additionally, McGarry averaged 46.6 yards per punt in five punts against Nicholls.
 
Rios totaled 23 tackles, one tackle for loss, three pass deflections, one forced fumble in 2023 as well as an 86-yard interception returned for touchdown at Houston Christian. He also forced a fumble at Old Dominion.
 
The league's preseason poll was also released as part of the Opening Drive on Monday, defending SLC champion Nicholls was picked to repeat, while UIW was picked second.
 
The Lions received 37 points to be ranked eighth, 12 points ahead of Northwestern State. Houston Christian is ranked seventh with 41 points.
 
The preseason all-conference teams are voted on by the conference's head coaches, who cannot vote for their own players, while the preseason poll has been voted the head coaches and sports information directors, who also cannot vote for their own teams.
 
The Lions begin the 2024 season on the road at San Diego State on August 31, the first game of a six-game home schedule is on September 14 against Grambling, and conference play begins on October 5 at Southeastern.
 
Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/Tickets.
 
2024 SOUTHLAND FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL

Rank	Team	Points (First-Place Votes)
1	Nicholls	119 (9)
2	UIW	113 (8)
3	Southeastern	94
4	Lamar	88 (1)
5	Stephen F. Austin	72
6	McNeese	64
7	HCU	41
8	A&M-COMMERCE	37
9	Northwestern State	25

 
2024 SOUTHLAND FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
First Team Offense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
QB	Zach Calzada	UIW	Gr.	Buford, Ga.
RB	Jaylon Spears	Nicholls	R-Jr.	New Orleans, La.
RB	Collin Guggenheim	Nicholls	Sr.	Kenner, La.
TE/HB	Lee Negrotto	Nicholls	Sr.	Pass Christian, Miss.
WR	Darius Lewis	Southeastern Louisiana	R-Sr.	New Orleans, La.
WR	Quincy Brown	Nicholls	Jr.	St. Rose, La.
WR	Andre Dennis	Lamar	Jr.	Beaumont, Texax
OL	Evan Roussel	Nicholls	Sr.	Lutcher, La.
OL	Cole Leclair	McNeese	Sr.	Middleburg, Fla.
OL	Jevale Roberson	Lamar	Sr.	Cleveland, Texas
OL	Elias Ripley	Lamar	Sr.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
OL	Jhy Orgeron	Southeastern	Sr.	Galliano, La.
PK	Dillon Fedor	HCU	Sr.	Henderson, Nev.
P	Kylan Dupre	Nicholls	Jr.	Geismar, La.

 
First Team Defense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
DL	Rasheed Lovelace	Nicholls	R-So.	Pensacola, Fla.
DL	Caleb Williams	Lamar	Sr.	Houston, Texas
DL	Kershawn Fisher	Nicholls	Sr.	New Orleans, La.
DL	Joe Mason	Nicholls	Sr.	Shreveport, La.
LB	Micah Davey	McNeese	R-Jr.	Baton Rouge, La.
LB	Tylan Foster	UIW	Sr.	Houston, Texas
LB	Hayden Shaheen	Nicholls	R-So.	Baton Rouge, La.
DB	Tyler Morton	Nicholls	Sr.	St. Rose, La.
DB	Max Epps	A&M-Commerce	R-Sr.	Spring, Texas
DB	Kendarius Smith	Nicholls	Sr.	Meridian, Miss.
DB	Ronald Wilson	UIW	Sr.	Fort Worth, Texas
DB	Ramond Stevens	Lamar	Sr.	New Orleans, La.
KR	Dekalon Taylor	UIW	Jr.	Longview, Texas
PR	Darius Lewis	Southeastern	R-Sr.	New Orleans, La.

 
Second Team Offense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
QB	Pat McQuaide	Nicholls	Jr.	Solon, Ohio
RB	Khalan Griffin	Lamar	Sr.	Tyler, Texas
RB	Harlan Dixon	Southeastern	Sr.	Slidell, La.
TE/HB	Devyn Gibbs	Lamar	Jr.	Mabank, Texas
WR	Mason Pierce	UIW	Gr.	Houston, Texas
WR	Sevonne Rhea	Lamar	Sr.	Houston, Texas
WR	Kylon Harris	SFA	Jr.	Reserve, La.
OL	Reggie Brooks	Lamar	Jr.	Wylie, Texas
OL	Dion Daniels	HCU	Sr.	Tyler, TExas
OL	Reed Lambert	Nicholls	Sr.	New Roads, La.
OL	Rasheed Jackson	UIW	So.	Columbus, Ohio
OL	Brockhim Wicks	Southeastern	R-Sr.	Plaquemine, La.
PK	Chris Esqueda	Lamar	Sr.	Waco, Texas
P	Mitchell McGarry	A&M-Commerce	R-Sr.	Tannum Sands Queensland, Australia

 
Second Team Defense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
DL	Marcus Brown	UIW	Sr.	Houston, Texas
DL	Chase Carter	UIW	R-Sr.	Brooklyn Park, Md.
DL	Zae Smith	HCU	Jr.	La Maruqe, Texas
DL	Jaymond Jackson	Lamar	Sr.	Lindale, Texas
LB	Eli Ennis	Nicholls	Jr.	Ohatchee, Ala.
LB	Mister Williams	UIW	Jr.	Canoga Park, Calif.
LB	Donte' Daniels	Southeastern	Sr.	Port Sulphur, La.
DB	Mason Chambers	UIW	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas
DB	Jaden Rios	A&M-Commerce	R-Jr.	Frisco, Texas
DB	Kristian Pugh	Lamar	Jr.	Beaumont, Texas
DB	Jeremiah Walker	SFA	Sr.	Houston, Texas
DB	Levi Wyatt	McNeese	Jr.	Byram, Miss.
KR	Darius Lewis	Southeastern	R-Sr.	New Orleans, La.
PR	Dekalon Taylor	UIW	Jr.	Longview, Texas