CHARLESTON – The Big South/Ohio Valley Football Association announced the league's preseason poll, Preseason Player of the Year and "Players to Watch" List on Wednesday morning. This year's coaches' poll has Charleston Southern picked to finish 6^th. Additionally, each team had a top returning player at each position named as a "Player to Watch" with 12 Buccaneers selected.
 
These announcements were made to kick off the association's media day on Wednesday, July 17. Charleston Southern had their conference's media day for head coach Gabe Giardina and their two player representatives, Noah Jennings and Devonte Turner, this afternoon followed by a one-on-one session of Giardina with a broadcaster from the league.
 
2024 Big South-OVC Predicted Order of Finish
1. UT Martin (5) – 61
2. Eastern Illinois (2) – 53
3. Southeast Missouri (2) – 51
4. Tennessee State – 41
5. Gardner-Webb – 40
6. Charleston Southern – 27
7. Tennessee Tech – 24
8. Lindenwood – 18
9. Western Illinois – 9

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Pierce Holley (QB), Eastern Illinois

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Bryce Norman (LB), Southeast Missouri
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST

Quarterback
Zolten Osborne (So.), Charleston Southern
Pierce Holley (Grad.), Eastern Illinois
Ren Hefley (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Paxton DeLaurent (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Draylen Ellis (Grad.), Tennessee State
Dylan Liable (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Kinkead Dent (Grad), UT Martin
Nate Lamb (Sr.), Western Illinois

Running Back
Autavius Ison (So.), Charleston Southern
MJ Flowers (So.), Eastern Illinois
Carson Gresock (So.), Gardner-Webb
Robert Giaimo (Jr.), Lindenwood
Jordan Gant (R-So.), Tennessee State
Obie Sanni (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin
Terrance Farmer (Sr.), Western Illinois

Wide Receiver
Noah Jennings (So.), Charleston Southern
Eli Mirza (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Jordan Bly (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Jeff Caldwell (Jr.), Lindenwood
Jalal Dean (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
DeVonte Tanksley (Grad.), UT Martin
Demari Davis (Jr.), Western Illinois

Tight End
Landon Sauers (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Anthony Manaves (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Cole Schnieder (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Danny Joiner (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
Jace Hoath (So.), Tennessee State
Hunter Barnhart (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Brandon Lanier (Jr.), Western Illinois

Offensive Line
Ronnie Hayes II (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Sebastian Pares (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
CJ Dawson (So.), Gardner-Webb
Ethan Johnson (Jr.), Lindenwood
Zack Gieg (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Connor Meadows (R-So.), Tennessee State
Logan Weedman (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Drake Carroll (Grad.), UT Martin
Isaiah Foote (Jr.), Western Illinois

Defensive Line
Josh Hill (Sr.), Charleston Southern
Joel Barrows (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Ayden Bell (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Kobe McClendon (Jr.), Lindenwood
Steven Lewis (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Eriq George (So.), Tennessee State
Daniel Rickert (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Charles Perkins (So.), UT Martin
Tre Henry (Sr.), Western Illinois

Linebacker
Tylan Hollis (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Elijawah Tolbert (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Trevor Moffitt (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Bryce Norman (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Ahmad Nelson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Aaron Swafford (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Jaylon Sharpe (Grad.), UT Martin
Juan DelaCruz (Sr.), Western Illinois

Defensive Back
Trayson Fowler (Grad.), Charleston Southern
Kaleb Lyons (Jr.), Eastern Illinois
Raequan Ousley (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Joedrick Lewis (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Jalen McClendon (R-Jr.), Tennessee State
Tim Coutras (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Oshae Baker (Sr.), UT Martin
Willie Jones (So.), Western Illinois

All-Purpose
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Edward Sayeed (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Kyron Cumby (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin

Placekicker
Jay Billingsley (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
DC Pippin (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
James Lowery (R-Sr.), Tennessee State
Hayden Olsen (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Christian Massucci (Grad.), Western Illinois

Punter
Nick Bigelow (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Jacob Horvath (So.), Eastern Illinois
Jackson Foster (Sr.), Tennessee State
Spencer Ashby (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Jared Campbell (Sr.), Western Illinois

Kick Return Specialist
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Mark Aitken (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Anthony Lowe (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin

Punt Return Specialist
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Jordan Bly (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Oshae Baker (Sr.), UT Martin

Long Snapper
Noah Summers (R-So.) Charleston Southern
Jack Valente (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Jamie Wilson (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Carson Buchanan (Sr.), Tennessee State
Turner McLaughlin (Fr.), Tennessee Tech
Colton Peoples (Jr.), UT Martin