NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware was among five Colonial Athletic Association teams picked in the national top 10 team rankings and four Blue Hen players earned pre-season honors in the Lindy’s College Football Preview Magazine that was released earlier this month.

The annual publication, which previews the 2008 college football season for all divisions, is available on newsstands now.

Delaware, which went 11-4 a year ago and advanced to the national championship game, was picked No. 9 in the pre-season NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision poll and was one of five CAA teams mentioned, joining No. 3 James Madison, No. 4 Massachusetts, No. 6 Richmond, and No. 10 New Hampshire. Delaware will play JMU, Richmond, and Massachusetts on the road this season.

Appalachian State, which captured its third straight national championship with a 49-21 win over Delaware last December in Chattanooga, Tenn., was the pre-season No. 1 pick followed by North Dakota State, James Madison, Massachusetts, Montana, Richmond, Eastern Washington, McNeese State, Delaware, and New Hampshire.

Four Blue Hen individuals were also honored as junior kicker Jon Striefsky (at right) was named pre-season first team All-American, senior center Kheon Hendricks was named to the second team, junior defensive end Matt Marcorelle was named to the second team and was selected as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, and junior quarterback Rob Schoenhoft was named the national pre-season Newcomer of the Year.

Striefsky, a 6-1, 185 lb. junior from Lansdale, Pa. (North Penn High School), earned first team All-American honors by The Sports Network and by the Associated Press in 2007 after converting 21 of 24 field goals and 64 of 67 extra point attempts for the season. The first team All-CAA selection set school records for field goals, extra points, and kicking points in a season.

Hendricks, a 6-1, 295 lb. senior from Baltimore, Md. (Woodlawn HS), earned The Sports Network honorable mention All-American honors last fall after being named first team All-CAA. He was a second-year starter last season but played center for the first time in his career. He started all 15 games and anchored an offense that led the CAA in scoring offense (36.2, 11th in NCAA), passing offense (289.5), and total offense (460.6).

Marcorelle, a 6-2, 250 lb. junior from Fort Pierce, Fla. (John Carroll HS), earned The Sports Network honorable mention All-American honors fall after leading a Delaware defense that was among the most improved in the CAA. After missing all but two games in 2006 due to a shoulder injury, he returned in 2007 to become the first sophomore to serve as team co-captain in school history. A third-team All-CAA selection, he appeared in 14 games, ranked fifth on the team with 64 tackles, and led the squad with 14 tackles for loss (94 yards), eight sacks (68 yards), and a school-record five forced fumbles (second highest total in NCAA). He also recovered two fumbles and had a pass breakup.

Schoenhoft, a 6-6, 245. lb. junior from Mason, Ohio (St. Xavier HS), will battle with redshirt freshman Lou Ritacco to take over the Blue Hens’ starting quarterback spot with the loss of All-American and Baltimore Ravens first round draft pick Joe Flacco to graduation. Schoenhoft, who served as a backup last season at Ohio State and helped lead the Buckeyes to the national championship game, played in seven games last season and threw for 129 yards and also appeared in two games during the 2006 campaign.

Lindy’s also selected Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards as the pre-season Most Valuable Player, Eastern Washington quarterback Matt Nichols was named the pre-season Offensive Player of the Year, and Nicholls State defensive end Ladarius Webb was named the pre-season Defensive Player of the Year.

Delaware, led by seventh-year head coach K.C. Keeler, will open its 2008 pre-season camp Aug. 4 with the season-opener set for Aug. 30 at Atlantic Coast Conference contender University of Maryland.