The Army football team has earned seven spots on the Preseason All-American Athletic Conference all-star team, as named by Athlon Sports magazine.
Safety Max DiDomenico and lineman Brady Small were named to the second team defense and offense, respectively. Third-team choices included linebacker Kalib Fortner on defense and running backs Tyrell Robinson and Kanye Udoh on offense. Fourth-team spots included linemen Kyle Lewis on defense and Lucas Scott on offense.
DiDomenico, who will serve as a senior team captain for the 2024 season, posted 52 tackles and one of his two interceptions was critical to the Black Knights' victory in the Army-Navy game. He is from Schertz, Texas.
Small started all 12 games as a freshman center a year ago, a rare feat for a plebe. He hails from Mount Ephraim, N.J.
Udoh, too, was a freshman in 2023, starting in five of the 10 games he appeared. He had 99 carries for 524 yards and one touchdown, earning recognition as the ECAC Div. I Football Bowl Subdivision rookie of the year. He is a native of Mays Landing, N.J.
Robinson came back from a serious injury in 2022, returning to play eight games in his junior season of 2023. The Dallas, Ga., native had 39 carries for 187 yards and two touchdowns last season, and has over 1,500 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns for his career.
Fortner, from Knoxville, Tenn., played all 12 games as a sophom*ore linebacker, posting 68 tackles to rank third on the team. Thirty of his stops were solo efforts. He also had a forced fumble which he turned into a touchdown.
Binghamton native Scott started 11 games as an offensive guard. A year earlier he was a tight end. He played New York state football for Chenango Forks.
Lewis will also be a senior team captain for 2024. He made 11 starts out of 12 appearances on the line, posting 25 tackles (14 solo) and one sack.
The Athlon Sports preseason All-AAC team (2023 season stars noted in parenthesis):
All-AAC football preseason
First-team offense
QB Seth Henigan, Memphis (second); RB Makhai Hughes, Tulane (first); RB Anthony Watkins, Tulsa; RB Keorian Barnes, UTSA; AP Dean Connors, Rice (honorable mention); WR Sean Atkins, South Florida; WR Roc Taylor, Memphis (second); WR Deemer Blanku*msee, Memphis; TE Oscar Cardenas, UTSA; C Brady Wilson, UAB; OL Xavier Hill, Memphis (second); OL Gabe Blair, North Texas (second); OL Rashad Green, Tulane (third); OL Zane Herring, South Florida; OL Jonah Gambill, Memphis
First-team defense
DL Patrick Jenkins, Tulane (first); DL D'Anta Johnson, East Carolina; DL Brandon Brown, UTSA (third); DL Chad Stephens, East Carolina (honorable mention); DL Joe Evans, UTSA; LB Jesus Machado, Tulane (second); LB Colin Ramos, Navy (first); LB Chandler Martin, Memphis (first); LB Jamal Ligon, UTSA; CB Shavon Revel, East Carolina (second); CB Dontae Balfour, Charlotte (third); S Rayuan Lane, Navy (third); S Gabriel Taylor, Rice (honorable mention); S Donyai Taylor, UTSA
First-team specialists
K Chase Allen, UTSA (second); P Riley Riethman, Navy (first); KR Sutton Smith, Memphis; PR Henry Rutledge, Charlotte
Second-team offense
QB Byrum Brown, South Florida; RB Nay'Quan Wright, South Florida; RB Rahjai Harris, East Carolina; RB Mario Anderson, Memphis; RB Alex Tecza, Navy (honorable mention); WR Kamdyn Benjamin, Tulsa; WR Damon Ward, North Texas; WR Amare Thomas, UAB; WR Devin McCuin, UTSA; TE Colin Weber, Charlotte; C Federico Maranges, Florida Atlantic; OL Connor McMahon, Navy; OL Brant Banks, Rice; OL Vincent Murphy, Tulane; OL Brady Small, Army; OL Venly Tatafu, UTSA; OL Shadre Hurst, Tulane
Second-team defense
DL Roderick Brown, North Texas; DL Rashad Cheney, South Florida; DL Justin Reed, Navy; DL Owen Ostroski, Tulsa; DL Adin Huntington, Tulane; LB Jhalyn Shuler, South Florida; LB Jordan Brown, North Texas (third); LB Tyler Grubbs, Tulane (third); LB Myron Morrison, Rice (honorable mention); LB Josh Pearcy, Rice (honorable mention); CB Aamaris Brown-Bunkley, South Florida; CB Dashaun Peele, Navy (honorable mention); CB Ridge Texada, North Texas; S Max DiDomenico, Army; S Greg Rubin, Memphis; S Ken Robinson, UTSA
Second-team specialists
K Andrew Conrad, East Carolina; P Will Karoll, Tulane (honorable mention); KR Sutton Smith, Memphis; PR Amin Hassan, Navy
Third-team offense
QB Jacob Zena, UAB; RB Lee Beebe, UAB; RB Ikaika Ragsdale, North Texas; RB Kanye Udoh, Army; RB Tyrell Robinson, Army; WR Chase Sowell, East Carolina; WR Landon Ransom-Goelz, Rice; WR Mario Williams, Tulane; WR Dante Wright, Temple; TE Boden Groen, Rice; C Jonny King, Charlotte; OL Cory Godinet, UTSA (honorable mention); OL Wisdom Quarshie, Temple; OL Luke Jones, UAB; OL Jett Duncan, North Texas; OL Dustyn Hall, East Carolina
Third-team defense
DL Desmond Little, UAB; DL Dez Morgan, Charlotte; DL Kevin Penn, UAB; DL Stone Handy, Charlotte; DL CorMontae Hamilton, Memphis; LB Jackson Ambush, Florida Atlantic; LB Jimmori Robinson, UTSA; LB Kalib Fortner, Army; LB Luke Pirris, Navy; LB Caleb Ransaw, Tulane; LB Michael Moore, UAB; CB Sean Fresch, Rice; CB Lu Tillery, Tulane; CB Colby Dempsey, UAB; S Phillip Dunnam, Florida Atlantic; S Bailey Despanie, Tulane; S Isheem Young, North Texas
Third-team specialists
K John Cannon, South Florida; P Joshua Sloan, Memphis; KR Henry Rutledge, Charlotte; PR Sean Fresch, Rice
Fourth-team offense
QB EJ Warner, Rice; RB CJ Campbell, Florida Atlantic; RB Cartevious Norton, Charlotte; RB Joquez Smith, Temple; RB Robert Henry, UTSA; WR Jairus Mack, Charlotte; WR Yulkeith Brown, Tulane; WR De'Corian Clark, UTSA; WR Rawson MacNeill, Rice; WR Landon Sides, North Texas; WR Milan Tucker, Florida Atlantic; TE Anthony Landphere, Memphis; TE Alex Bauman, Tulane; C Mike Lofton, South Florida; OL Parker Moorer, East Carolina; OL Lucas Scott, Army; OL Makai Hart, UTSA; OL Jaylen Nichols, Memphis; OL Derek Bowman, South Florida
Fourth-team defense
DL Vontroy Malone, Tulsa; DL Kyle Lewis, Army; DL Tra Thomas, Temple; DL Elijah Morris, East Carolina; DL Charlie Looes, Rice; LB Myles Jackson, Tulsa; LB Prince Bemah, Charlotte; LB Diwun Black, Temple; LB Ethan Wesloski, North Texas; LB Javante Mackey, Memphis; LB Mike Edwards III, East Carolina; CB Kahzir Brown, Florida Atlantic; CB Tyree Carlisle, Tulsa; S Plae Wyatt, Rice; S Mbiti Williams Jr., Navy
Fourth-team specialists
K Tanner Gillis, Memphis; P Angus Davies, Tulsa; KR Quinton Jackson, Rice; PR Koby Drake, Memphis
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Seven Army players named to American Athletic preseason football stars
