FLORENCE, Ala. (August 24, 2023) – For the first time ever, the United Athletic Conference (UAC) announced its preseason information for the inaugural football season in 2023.
The league office announced North Alabama redshirt senior wide receiver
Takairee Kenebrew to the preseason all-conference team on Thursday afternoon as one of three players at his position.
Kenebrew — a Childersburg, Ala. native —was a second team all-conference selection by Phil Steele Magazine after playing in all 11 games with 29 receptions for 649 yards and eight touchdowns.
Last season, the redshirt senior had a pair of games with over 100 yards receiving, including four catches for 162 yards and three touchdowns against Kennesaw State. Kenebrew had similar success in 2021 with 27 catches for 520 yards and eight touchdowns, while also making ESPN SportsCenter's Play of the Day with an acrobatic catch against Charleston Southern.
Kenebrew enters his sixth season with the Lions, joining the team in 2018. He has 57 career receptions for 1,202 yards and 16 career touchdowns. A big play threat throughout his career, he is currently averaging 24.9 yards per catch with a long of 76 yards.
In addition to the preseason team, the UAC also announced its first-ever coaches poll. The Lions were picked ninth in the rankings with 15 points. Eastern Kentucky was selected to win the conference with 71 points and two first place votes, followed by Central Arkansas with 69 points and five first place votes.
Austin Peay rounded out the top three with a first place vote and 57 points, followed by Stephen F. Austin (54 points), Abilene Christian (52 points) and Tarleton State (37 points). Utah Tech and Southern Utah were tied for seventh in the poll with 25 points each, including one first place vote for Utah Tech.
The Lions open the 2023 season on Saturday, August 26 during the Week 0 FCS Kickoff against Mercer. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. The game will be nationally-televised on the ESPN flagship station and will mark the first college football game to be played in the United States this season.
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