Blue Hens #5 in Athlon Sports' Preseason Top-25

NEWARK, Del. - The University of Delaware football program was chosen fifth in the Athlon Sports' Preseason FCS Top-25 Monday ahead of the 2021 season.

The Blue Hens' 2020-21 campaign ended in the FCS Semifinal, but not before winning a pair of playoff games and earning the program's first conference title since 2010.

Delaware checked in at No. 4 in the final Stats Perform Top-25 and AFCA Coaches' Poll following the 2020-21 season.

Four Blue Hens were selected as Stats Perform FCS All-Americans and senior offensive lineman David Kroll and junior safety Kedrick Whitehead earned first-team honors while senior defensive back Nijuel Hill was a second-teamer, along with redshirt senior Dejoun Lee as an all-purpose player.

Head Coach Danny Rocco was selected as the CAA Coach of the Year and finished third in Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year voting. Lee was the conference's Offensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Player of the Year award.

It will be a short offseason with the 2021 season scheduled to kick-off under the lights on Sept. 2 at Maine before the home-opener against Saint Francis Sept. 11 at Delaware Stadium. Fans interested in season tickets for the 2021 fall season can visit here.

For the latest on the Delaware football program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareFB and Instagram @DelawareFootball, and like "Delaware Football" on Facebook.

Players Mentioned

Nijuel Hill

David Kroll

Dejoun Lee

Kedrick Whitehead Jr.

University of Delaware Athletics