James and Perera recognized on Big South Preseason All-Conference Team

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Charleston Southern’s Charles James and Nathan Perera were recognized on the 2012 Big South Preseason All-Conference team on Thursday afternoon at the annual Big South Football Media Day Kickoff Luncheon held at the Renaissance Suites Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.

James, the 2012 Big South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, was recognized as a defensive back, while Perera was selected as a wide receiver.

The Charleston Southern duo add this to their list of accolades as James and Perera were named to the 2012 College Football Performance Awards Preseason Watch List, as announced earlier this summer.

James, a redshirt senior, enters the 2012 season just one interception away from tying Phillip Ashley’s program record of 11 career picks with the Buccaneers. James enjoyed a breakout season in 2010 with six interceptions, and added two more this past season to run his three year total to 10 interceptions at CSU, the most of any player in the Big South since the 2010.

In addition to his ball-hawking skills in the secondary, the Jacksonville, Fla. Native also displayed an adept nose for the ball this past season, finishing third on the team at CSU with 66 total tackles, of which 40 were solo stops. James averaged 6.0 tackles per game over the season, finishing in the top 10 in the Big South over the season and first among returning defensive backs in conference competition.

Perera continues to come on strong after a sophomore campaign which saw the junior receiver finish second in the BSC rankings with 94.4 yards receiving yards per game in conference games, on his way to a 43 catch-704 yard receiving year in 2012.

He added four touchdowns through the air on the season and set several career milestones last year, including his first career 100 yard receiving game on October 22nd versus Liberty University where he nabbed seven balls for 100 yards. Perara also added one of the top two receiving efforts in CSU football history on November 5th against Stony Brook where the Orlando, Fla. Native snagged 10 catches for 232 yards, nine yards off the school single-game record, and two touchdowns against the Seawolves.

Charleston Southern kicks off the 2012 season on the road on Saturday, September 1st, as the Buccaneers travel to Sansom Field to take on The Citadel. Action between the Buccaneers and the Bulldogs is set for 6 p.m.

The preseason team is comprised of 12 offensive players, 12 defensive players and five special teams selections, plus any ties. Liberty placed a League-high eight players on the preseason squad, followed by Stony Brook (6), Coastal Carolina (6), Gardner-Webb (5), Charleston Southern (2) and Presbyterian College (2). The 2012 preseason All-Conference team is as follows:

2012 BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
OFFENSE
QB - Kyle Essington, Stony Brook, Sr. (Chino Hills, Calif.)
RB - Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook, Sr. (Riverhead, N.Y.)
RB - Kenny Little, Gardner-Webb, R-Sr. (Flanders, N.J.)
WR - Nathan Perera, Charleston Southern, Jr. (Orlando, Fla.)
WR - Matt Hazel, Coastal Carolina, Jr. (North Augusta, S.C.)
WR - Pat Kelly, Liberty, Sr. (New Orleans, La.)
TE - David Duran, Coastal Carolina, R-Sr. (Marietta, Ga.)
OL - Jamie Dunaway, Gardner-Webb, Sr. (Duncan, S.C.)
OL - Malcolm Boyd, Liberty, Sr. (Spartanburg, S.C.)
OL - Jamey Cheatwood, Coastal Carolina, R-Jr. (Boiling Springs, S.C.)
OL - Steve Demilio, Gardner-Webb, R-Sr. (Severna Park, Md.)
OL - Michael Bamiro, Stony Brook, R-Jr. (Tobyhanna, Pa.)

DEFENSE
DL - Preston Pemasa, Gardner-Webb, Jr. (Garden Grove, Calif.)
DL - Matt Goods, Gardner-Webb, R-Jr. (East Orange, N.J.)
DL - Francis Bah, Liberty, R-Jr. (Duisburg, Germany)
DL - Chris Thomas, Coastal Carolina, Sr. (Staten Island, N.Y.)
LB - Andrae Jacobs, Coastal Carolina, Sr. (Tabor City, N.C.)
LB - Jawara Dudley, Stony Brook, Jr. (Roosevelt, N.Y.)
LB - Nick Sigmon, Liberty, R-Soph. (Roanoke, Va.)
LB - Donelle Williams, Presbyterian, Soph. (Starke, Fla.)
DB - Charles James, Charleston Southern, R-Sr. (Jacksonville, Fla.)
DB - Walt Aikens, Liberty, R-Jr. (Charlotte, N.C.)
DB - Kevin Fogg, Liberty, Sr. (Raleigh, N.C.)
DB - Dominick Reyes, Stony Brook, R-Sr. (Hesperia, Calif.)

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Wesley Skiffington, Stony Brook, R-Sr. (Brandon, Fla.)
P - Patrick Morgano, Presbyterian College, Sr. (Greenville, S.C.)
LS - Richard Wright, Liberty, R-Jr. (Nathalie, Va.)
KR - Kevin Fogg, Liberty, Sr. (Raleigh, N.C.)
PR - Niccolo Mastromatteo, Coastal Carolina, Jr. (Ortonville, Mich.)

PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Miguel Maysonet, Sr., RB, Stony Brook

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Charles James, R-Sr., DB, Charleston Southern