The Monmouth Hawks football team was selected to finish second in the CAA’s coaches’ preseason poll released on Wednesday.
After finishing with a 3-5 record in conference play during the program’s first two seasons in the CAA, Monmouth improved by one game, finishing 4-4 and 6-6 overall for the 2024 season. The Hawks concluded the season by winning their final two games against two ranked CAA opponents, Villanova and Stony Brook, to close out the season. The wins showed off the improved Monmouth offense as the team scored 95 points over the final two games of the campaign to head into the offseason with momentum, so much so that they received four first-place votes in the preseason poll as the conference’s coaches looked at Monmouth as one ot he more dangerous teams in the CAA.
2025 CAA Football Predicted Order of Finish
Selected by a vote of head coaches
1. Rhode Island (8 first-place votes) 163
2. Monmouth (4 first-place votes) 142
3. Villanova (2 first-place votes) 139
4. Stony Brook 125
5. New Hampshire 119
6. Towson 108
7. William & Mary 104
8. Elon 98
9. Maine 71
10. Campbell 53
11. Hampton 50
12. UAlbany 47
13. Bryant 32
14. North Carolina A&T 23
In addition to the preseason ranking, quarterback Derek Robertson was named the 2025 CAA Football Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The graduate student in his first season in West Long Branch set single-season school records with 3,937 passing yards and 31 touchdowns as he led the FCS in passing yards. The passing yardage was also the third-most in CAA history, as Robertson was named CAA Offensive Player of the Year and was an All-CAA First Team Selection.
Also on the Al-CAA Preseason Honors are four other offensive players as the Hawks’ offense became a machine down the stretch last season. Included on the list is wide receiver/kick returner TJ Speight, who became one of the most dangerous kick returners in the nation. The senior finished with 1,346 all-purpose yards with 896 yards of those coming as a receiver (61 receptions). Speight, along with Josh Derry (917 yards, five touchdowns in 2024), will be Robertson’s primary targets in the 2025 season.
CAA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Derek Robertson
Preseason All-CAA
QB – Derek Robertson
TE – Jack Neri
WR – Josh Derry
WR – TJ Speight
OL – JT Cornelius
S – Deuce Lee
KR – TJ Speight
Honorable Mention
RB – Rodney Nelson
Stay with ONNJ Sports as the Hawks continue their climb to the top of the CAA this fall.
