RICHMOND, Va. — William & Mary junior safety/return specialist Bronson Yoder highlighted an impressive group of Tribe standouts who were selected to the 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Preseason All-Conference Team during the league's annual Media Day event on Tuesday.
 
In addition to Yoder's selection to the preseason all-conference team as a punt returner, senior defensive lineman Will Kiely and senior offensive lineman Andrew Trainer earned honorable mention distinction.
 
The CAA's preseason poll was also announced and the Tribe was picked to finish 11th. Both the preseason all-conference team and preseason poll were selected based on a vote by the CAA's 12 head coaches and media relations personnel.
 
Although he saw limited action during the abbreviated 2021 spring season, Yoder established himself among the nation's top return specialists as a true freshman in 2019.
 
Yoder garnered multiple Freshman All-America honors in 2019 after setting a single-season school-record with 913 kickoff return yards, which ranked second in the country. His two kickoff returns for touchdowns also ranked tied for first nationally. Additionally, he ranked 11th nationally in kickoff return average (26.9), which ranks third in school history.
 
Following the historic rookie campaign, Yoder earned 2020 Preseason All-America honors from STATS PERFORM and HERO Sports.
 
A second-team All-CAA selection last spring, Kiely continued to produce at an all-league level during the abbreviated slate and ranked tied for second on the team with 14 tackles to go with 0.5 TFL. Kiely, who enters his fourth season as a starter this fall, was a consistent performer in 2021, totaling five tackles in contests against Richmond and Elon and four versus James Madison.
 
During his career, Kiely has totaled 133 tackles with 9.0 sacks and 25.5 TFL.
 
Trainer, who enters his third season as W&M's starting left tackle, anchored the Tribe's offensive line last spring that ranked third in the league with just six sacks allowed. That protection helped propel W&M's passing game to one of the league's most efficient, as it ranked fourth in the CAA with a 133.1 pass efficiency rating.
 
W&M will open its 2021 slate when it plays at Virginia on Sept. 4. Ticket information, as well as complete schedule information, is available at TribeAthletics.com.
 
 
2021 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)

1. James Madison (15)
2. Delaware (7)
3. Villanova
4. Richmond (2)
5. New Hampshire
6. Rhode Island
7. Towson
8. UAlbany
9. Maine
10. Stony Brook
11. William & Mary
12. Elon

First-place votes in parentheses
 
 
2021 CAA Football Preseason Offensive Players of the Year
RB – Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison
 
2021 CAA Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
DL – Mike Greene, DL, James Madison
 
2021 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Offense
QB – Nolan Henderson (Delaware)                              
RB – Percy Agyei-Obese (James Madison)               
RB – Dejoun Lee (Delaware)                                             
RB – Karl Mofor (UAlbany)                                                
FB – Joey Kenny (Rhode Island)                   
WR – Andre Miller (Maine)                              
WR – Thyrick Pitts (Delaware)                      
WR – Kris Thornton (James Madison)      
TE – John Fitzgerald (Richmond)                                   
OL – Michael Corbi (Villanova)                      
OL – Liam Fornadel (James Madison)       
OL – Raymond Gillespie (James Madison)               
OL – David Kroll (Delaware)                                             
OL – Clayton McConnell (Richmond)
OL – Kyle Nunez (Stony Brook)
 
2021 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Defense
DL – Malik Fisher (Villanova)
DL – Mike Greene (James Madison)
DL – Chase McGowan (Delaware)               
DL – Kobie Turner (Richmond)
LB – Johnny Buchanan (Delaware)
LB – Tyler Dressler (Richmond) 
LB – Forrest Rhyne (Villanova)
LB – Tristan Wheeler (Richmond)
S – MJ Hampton (James Madison)               
S – Evan Horn (New Hampshire)                 
S – Kedrick Whitehead (Delaware)
CB – Christian Benford (Villanova)
CB – Nijuel Hill (Delaware)
 
2021 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Special Teams
KR – D'Ago Hunter (Towson)
PR – Tre'Von Jones (Elon)               
PR – Bronson Yoder (William & Mary)
PK – Ethan Ratke (James Madison)
P – Harry O'Kelly (James Madison)
SPEC – Anthony Del Negro (Stony Brook)
 
2021 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Honorable Mention
QB – Davis Cheek (Elon)
QB – Daniel Smith (Villanova)
QB – Jeff Undercuffler (UAlbany)
RB – Justin Covington (Villanova)
WR – Gene Coleman II (Delaware)
WR – Ivory Frimpong (Rhode Island)
WR – Antwane Wells, Jr. (James Madison)
TE – Bryce DeMaille (Delaware)
OL –Andrew Trainer (William & Mary)
DL – Will Kiely (William & Mary)
DL – Niko Kvietkus (New Hampshire)
DL – Jared Verse (UAlbany)
LB – Kelvin Azanama (James Madison)
LB – Danny Damico (UAlbany)
LB – Christian Dixon (Towson)
S – Cole Coleman (Elon)
KR – Aaron Dykes (Richmond)
P – Shane McDonough (Towson)
SPEC – Bryce Colee (Maine)