WICHITA, Kan. — The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference is pleased to announce the 2020 Football Preseason Team, as voted on by the KCAC head football coaches. The group consists of 20 seniors, 11 juniors, and five sophomores.

Sterling leads the way with seven players honored (one at two positions), followed closely by Southwestern and Ottawa, both with six players on the preseason team. Bethel had the next highest number of athletes honored, with five. Kansas Wesleyan and Avila are both represented by three players, Bethany and Tabor are both represented by two, and Saint Mary has one player who made the preseason team.

Dustin Rivera (Sr., OL, Southwestern) and Stevie Williams (Sr., WR, Kansas Wesleyan) highlight the offense on this year’s preseason team. Nine of the sixteen offensive spots were secured by seniors, followed by five juniors, and two sophomores.

Rivera, the Rimington Award winner on the NAIA level, returns at center to lead a Southwestern offensive line that produced 214.6 rushing yards per game in 2019, second-best in the KCAC. The Buckeye, Ariz. native was a first-team All-KCAC selection, and was named to the second team on both the AP and AFCA NAIA All-America teams.

Williams caught 57 passes last season, tied for third-best in the conference. He led the KCAC in total receiving yards at 1,455, with an average of 121.3 receiving yards per contest. Like Rivera, Williams was a 2019 first-team All-KCAC honoree, as well as making the second team on both the AP and AFCA NAIA All-America teams.

On defense, this year’s preseason team is led by Bethel’s Josh Seabolt (Jr., LB) and Sterling’s Kwame Sexton (Sr., DB). Eight seniors made the preseason team’s defensive squad, along with five juniors and two sophomores.

Seabolt, named to Street & Smith’s NAIA Preseason All-America team, was second in the conference in total tackles a season ago, racking up 101 total tackles (54 solo) on the season. The Cimarron, Kan. native also picked up three sacks, two interceptions, and a blocked extra point in 2019 to set the tone for the Thresher’s defense.

Sexton helped to lead a Sterling defense that only gave up 19.6 points per game in 2019, second in the conference only behind Kansas Wesleyan. The Warriors pass defense was the best in the KCAC, only surrendering 153.4 passing yards per game. Sexton accumulated 89 total tackles, had five tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries last season. He was also selected as a kick/punt returner on this year’s preseason team.

Christian Hopkins of Avila highlights the special teams portion of the preseason team. The senior returned 30 kicks for a total of 800 yards in 2019, for an average of 26.7 yards per return. He led the Eagles in all-purpose yeads with 1,342, as he caught the ball 41 times for 506 yards and rushed the ball seven times for 36 yards.

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

* = 2019 All-KCAC First Team selection

^ = 2019 All-KCAC Second Team selection

# = 2019 All-KCAC Honorable Mention selection

+ = 2019 AFCA NAIA All-American Second Team selection

~ = 2019 AFCA NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection

% = 2019 AP NAIA All-American Second Team selection