MIAMI (July 18, 2011) --- FIU, the defending Sun Belt Conference champion, has been picked to repeat as champion in the preseason coaches' poll. The Panthers also earned seven Preseason All-Sun Belt selections, including Heisman hopeful T.Y. Hilton being selected as the Co-Preseason Offensive Player of the Year along with North Texas running back Lance Dunbar.

Hilton was also selected as a wide receiver and return specialist. Joining Hilton on the preseason all-conference squad are offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann, linebacker Winston Fraser, defensive lineman Tourek Williams and safety Jonathan Cyprien. FIU's seven selections were the most of any Sun Belt team.

Hilton, the defending SBC player of the year and a three-time SBC first-team selection finds himself on the Biletnikoff Award watch list to start his senior year. Hilton, a junior from Miami, has earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous players not only in the conference, but in the country. A former Freshman All-American, Hilton is already FIU's all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 5,392. In 2010, Hilton led the Panthers with 56 catches for 816 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 291 yards and four scores. Perhaps the biggest game of his career came against ULM on November 6, when he amassed 291 all-purpose yards and scored four touchdowns, two on receptions, one rushing and one on a kick return. Last December, playing on national television, Hilton wowed the football world with his performance in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, leading FIU to a 34-32 victory. In the game, Hilton caught one touchdown and scored another on an 89-yard kickoff return. However, the biggest play of the game was a 4th-and-17 play in which Hilton was on the back-end of a "Hook and Ladder," tip-toeing his way down the sideline to pick up the first down and keep FIU in the game.

A beast on the offensive line, Hauptmann protected the blind side of quarterback Wes Carroll and was a major part of a much-improved and potent offensive line, which was ranked 30^th in the country and first in the conference in sacks allowed, as well as 28^th in the country and second in the conference in rushing yards-per-game. After FIU's win over Troy, the entire offensive line was awarded a Helmet Sticker on ESPN.com after opening up holes for the rushing game to the tune of 448 yards on the ground.

An all-conference selection a season ago, Fraser was one of the leaders on FIU's defense in 2010, which was the best in the conference all year long. Fraser had 66 tackles, including 7.0 for loss and one sack, and forced two fumbles. In one of the biggest games of the season for FIU, he had a key interception that sent FIU's game against ULM into overtime in an eventual victory.

A second-team selection in 2010, Williams was dominant opposite Jarvis Wilson, finishing second on the team with six sacks for 36 yards, to go along with 42 tackles, 12.5 for loss. Williams lived in the backfield against ULM, registering career and season-highs with two sacks and four tackles for loss while totaling four tackles. He followed that up with a sack and two tackles at Troy.
 

A second-team all-conference selection a year ago and a two-time selection overall, Cyprien lead the Panthers and was third in the conference with 105 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, had five pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one interception in 2010. Cyprien opened the season with a nine-tackle performance against Rutgers and followed it up with eleven tackles and two forced fumbles against Texas A&M.

The 2011 season kicks off on Thurs., Sept. 1, when the Panthers host the North Texas Mean Green. Game time is 7:00 p.m. For season tickets call 305-FIU-GAME.

The Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team is selected by the head coach of each institution and a media representative from each institution.

Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Offense
Corey Robinson (Troy, So., QB)
Lance Dunbar (NT, Sr., RB)
Bobby Rainey (WKU, Sr., RB)
Dwayne Frampton (ASU, Sr., WR)
T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Sr., WR)
Luther Ambrose (ULM, Sr., WR)
Ladarius Green (ULL, Sr., TE)
Tom Castilaw (ASU, Sr. OL)
Caylin Hauptmann (FIU, Jr., OL)
Ryan McCaul (ULM, Sr., OL)
Matt Tomlinson (NT, Sr., OL)
James Brown (Troy, Sr., OL)
Wes Jeffries (WKU, Sr., OL)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Defense
Dorvus Woods (ASU, Sr., DL)
Tourek Williams (FIU, Jr., DL)
Ken Dorsey (ULM, Sr., DL)
Jonathan Massaquoi (Troy, Jr., DL)
Demario Davis (ASU, Sr., LB)
Winston Fraser (FIU, Jr., LB)
Xavier Lamb (Troy, Sr., LB)
Kelcie McCray (ASU, Sr., DB)
Jonathan Cyprien (FIU, Jr., DB)
Marcus Bartels, (FAU, Sr., DB)
Darius Prelow (ULM, Sr., DB)

Preseason All-Sun Belt Special Teams
Alan Gendreau (MT, Sr., Kicker)
Mickey Groody (FAU, Sr., Punter)
T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Sr., Return Specialist)

Co-Preseason Offensive Players of the Year
T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Sr., WR)
Lance Dunbar (NT, Sr., RB)

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jonathan Massaquoi (Troy, Jr., DL)

The Preseason Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll is selected by the head coach of each institution. 

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