CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The 2008 Sporting News College Football Preview Magazine has selected the University of Delaware football squad as the No. 5 team in the nation in its pre-season rankings.

The annual magazine, which is on newsstands now, picked three-time defending champion Appalachian State as the pre-season No. 1 team but six Colonial Athletic Association teams appeared in the Top 25.

Delaware, which will open pre-season camp in early August, is coming off one of its best seasons in school history in 2007 when the Blue Hens posted an 11-4 record and advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision title game. Along the way, Delaware recorded playoff victories over Delaware State, Northern Iowa, and Southern Illinois.

In addition to the No. 5 ranking, The Sporting News also recognized junior kicker Jon Striefsky on the pre-season All-American team and junior quarterback Rob Schoenhoft as the CAA’s Newcomer of the Year.

In the national poll, Appalachian State was picked No. 1 followed by James Madison, Northern Iowa, Eastern Washington, Delaware, Montana, Richmond, North Dakota State, Youngstown State, and Cal Poly in the Top 10. Massachusetts was picked No. 11 followed by Elon, Wofford, McNeese State, Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Villanova, Northern Arizona, Montana State, Harvard, Southern Illinois, The Citadel, New Hampshire, Delaware State, and Fordham. James Madison, Richmond, Massachusetts, Villanova, and New Hampshire are all CAA members.

Earlier this summer, Delaware was picked No. 9 in the Lindy’s College Football Preview Magazine with the Blue Hens one of five CAA teams in the top 25. In addition, Striefsky, senior center Kheon Hendricks, and junior defensive end Matt Marcorelle were named pre-season All-Americans, Marcorelle was named the pre-season CAA Defensive Player of the Year, and Schoenhoft was tabbed as the national 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.

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.

Delaware, led by seventh-year head coach K.C. Keeler (at right), will open its 2008 season Aug. 30 at Atlantic Coast Conference contender University of Maryland.