Photo Gallery (Todd Drexler, Big South)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Coming off an unforgettable inaugural football season in 2015, Kennesaw State will enter the second year of its program with increased expectations as the Owls were picked to finish third in the Big South's annual preseason coaches' poll, while four were named to the Big South's Preseason All-Conference Team. The announcements were made Tuesday at the conference's annual Media Day in Charlotte.

The Owls, which finished 2015 with a 6-5 record -- tying Georgia State for the third-best record by an FCS program in its inaugural season -- and sold out every home game at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, received 68 total votes in the preseason poll, including one first-place vote and three second-place votes. KSU was placed behind last year's champion Charleston Southern (16 first-place votes) and Liberty (one first-place vote), respectively, in the poll.

Monmouth took fourth place in the preseason poll, followed by Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian.

Kennesaw State's Preseason All-Conference selections, also voted by the league's head coaches were senior QB Trey White, sophomore WR Justin Sumpter, senior C Malik Letatau and sophomore DB Taylor Henkle.

White is coming off 10 starts under center for the Owls, falling just 36 rushing yards shy of becoming the first player to reach 1,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season in Big South Conference history. White led an offense in 2015 that ranked second in scoring (28.9) in the Big South and compiled 17 (nine rush, eight pass) touchdowns.

Sumpter pulled in a team-high four touchdown catches and averaged 20.2 yards per catch, which ranked sixth in the country in yard per reception. He finished the season with 26 catches for 525 yards and four touchdowns.

Letatau was the anchor on the line for the Owls, paving way for an offense that racked up 28.9 points per game and 3,398 yards rushing -- the fifth-highest total in conference history. The center made nine starts at center for the Owls, who averaged 293.0 yards per game behind Letatau.

Henkle -- a 2015 first-team All-Big South pick, finished fourth among the conference's defensive backs with 65 tackles and tied the conference lead with four interceptions. The sophomore led or tied for the team led in tackles three times, including two games of 10 tackles. He also tallied four pass breakups and nine punt returns for 62 yards in 2015.

Kennesaw State will open its season at home on Sept. 3 against East Tennessee State at 7 p.m. in the first-ever night game at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. The Owls will also begin their 2016 Big South slate on Oct. 15 at home, playing host to Liberty at 7 p.m. in another night game.

Every KSU game can be heard on ESPN Radio 1230 The Fan 2 (WFOM-AM) -- the new flagship station for the Owls this season. 

Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the signature athletics landmark on the Kennesaw State University campus, is a world-class facility that has been recognized as one of the premier multi-use outdoor athletics venues in the country. In the fall of 2015, it become the official home of Owls football team and is home to Owls soccer and lacrosse as well.

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