NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen was selected as the MEAC preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was selected as preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
North Carolina A&T State, received nine first-place votes, to receive the first place ranking in the conference’s preseason poll for 2015 MEAC Football Season.
All five teams that earned a share of conference title last year rounded out the first five spots of this year’s preseason predicted order of finish.
All votes are submitted by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors/football contacts.
Cohen, the defending Co-Player of the Year, led the MEAC in rushing and recorded his second straight 1,000 yard season with 1,340 total yards in 2014.
His efforts aided the Aggies to a share of the conference title.
He led the MEAC with 121.8 rushing yards per game, carrying the ball 197 times with 15 touchdowns in 11 games. He led the MEAC in scoring (96 points) and touchdowns (16) and finished second in all-purpose yardage (143.4 avg./g.).
He earned the Sports Networks’ Player of the Week honor once and received the conference’s offensive player of the week nod twice last season.
Cohen has also received preseason recognition from The Sports Network being named to the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award Watch List.
Hargrave also garnered postseason honors last year, selected as the conference’s 2014 Defensive Player of the Year.
He was named to the FCS All-America first team after leading the Bulldogs to a share of the conference title in the five-way tie. Hargrave led the MEAC and ranked third in the nation in sacks with 16 for a loss of 199 yards and fourth in the FCS in tackles for loss with 23.5.
He finished the season recording 55 total tackles, three forced fumbles, one recovered fumble (61 yards), eight quarterback hurries and two breakups.
He was listed on the Sports Networks’ Buck Buchanan Award List for much of last year and earned national and conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after tying a conference and FCS-best record of six sacks in a single game in a win over ranked Bethune-Cookman.
Hargrave is currently on the award list for The Sports Networks’ STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year honor.
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