WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — With the 2026 season opener less than a month away, four William & Mary football standouts garnered Patriot League preseason all-conference honors on Wednesday. The recognition was announced during the
league's preseason show on ESPN+.
Tight end
Sean McElwain, defensive lineman
Davin Dzidzienyo, defensive back
Bryce Barnes and special teams non-specialist
Stephon Hicks earned the distinction.
The Patriot League's preseason poll was also announced and the Tribe was picked to finish tied for third. Both the preseason all-conference team and preseason poll were selected based on a vote by the league's 10 head coaches.
A two-time all-conference selection, McElwain, enters his senior season as a team captain and one of the nation's elite tight ends. During his career with the Tribe, the Glen Allen, Va., native has totaled 55 receptions for 907 yards with nine touchdowns.
Dzidzienyo, a two-time team captain and former all-conference selection, enters his final season in Williamsburg as a dominant force on the Tribe's talented defensive front. Although he was limited to just four games last season due to injury, the Northwest, D.C., native was an all-league selection as a junior in 2024 after totaling 50 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 5.5 TFL, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and two pass breakups.
Barnes posted a breakout junior campaign last fall and emerged as one of the conference's top defensive backs. En route to earning nine starts, including each of the final eight games, Barnes totaled 34 tackles, three pass breakups, 1.5 TFL and a forced fumble.
One of the nation's most impactful standouts on special teams last season, Hicks garnered first-team all-conference honors after leading the country with four blocked punts – a figure that was just one shy of equaling the NCAA FCS record. Additionally, he ranked tied for sixth in the conference with two forced fumbles to go with 23 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 3.0 TFL.
W&M will open its inaugural season in the Patriot League with a conference matchup at Villanova on Friday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m.
Season tickets, including
renewals and
Green & Gold Tribe Passes, are now on sale at TribeAthletics.com.
W&M enters the fall having posted five consecutive winning seasons, marking the program's longest stretch of winning ledgers since the 1990s.
The Tribe's 2026 schedule is available at
TribeAthletics.com.
2026 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)
1. Villanova (7 first-place votes) 79
2. Lehigh 75
T3. William & Mary 57
T3. Richmond 57
5. Lafayette 55
6. Holy Cross 38
7. Colgate 36
T8. Fordham 19
T8. Georgetown 19
10. Bucknell 15
2026 Patriot League Football Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
RB: Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr.
2026 Patriot League Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
DL: Camden Byrd, Richmond, Gr.
2026 Patriot League Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Offense
QB: Hayden Johnson, Lehigh, Jr.
RB: Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr.
RB: Aziz Foster-Powell, Richmond, Jr.
RB: Ja'briel Mace, Villanova, Jr.
WR: Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Sr.
WR: Winston Moore, Colgate, Jr.
WR: Carson Persing, Lafayette, Sr.
WR: Braden Reed, Villanova, So.
TE: Sean McElwain, William & Mary, Sr.
OL: Cam Nolan, Holy Cross, 5th-year
OL: Sean Wilson, Lafayette, Sr.
OL: Aidan Palmer, Lehigh, 5th-year
OL: Ronald Anderson, Richmond, Sr.
OL: Chris McCullers, Villanova, Jr.
2026 Patriot League Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Defense
DL: Davin Dzidzienyo, William & Mary, Gr.
DL: Chigozie Oge-Evans, Georgetown, Sr.
DL: Camden Byrd, Richmond, Gr.
DL: Capri Martin, Villanova, Sr.
LB: Brandon Biagiarelli, Bucknell, Jr.
LB: Trooper Price, Colgate, Sr.
LB: Andrew Osmun, Fordham, Sr.
LB: Carter Glassmyer, Richmond, Gr.
LB: Omari Bursey, Villanova, So.
DB: Bryce Barnes, William & Mary, Sr.
DB: Tymir Wynn, Colgate, Sr.
DB: Jordan Allen, Richmond, Gr.
DB: Tayshaun Burney, Richmond, Jr.
2026 Patriot League Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Special Teams
PK: Luke Vogeler, Colgate, Sr.
P: Connor Poole, Lehigh, Jr.
RS: Ja'briel Mace, Villanova, Jr.
LS: Mike Doctor, Fordham, Sr.
Special Teams Non-Specialist (STNS): Stephon Hicks, William & Mary, Jr.
