Four members of the Virginia Union University football team have been named to the Pre-Season All-CIAA Football Team, the CIAA announced on Thursday, July 22.
 
Charles Hall, Jaiden Reavis, Desmond Smith and Jefferson Souza were named Pre-Season All-CIAA.
 
Hall, a junior from Trenton, N.J., majoring in Marketing, was named to the team as a Wide Receiver.
 
Reavis, a senior from Richmond, Va., majoring in Business Management, was named All-CIAA as a Punt Returner.
 
Smith, a senior from Richmond, Va., majoring in Computer Information Systems, was named to the All-CIAA team as a Tight End.
 
Souza, senior from Deerfield Beach, Fla., majoring in Business Management, was named to the team as a Place Kicker.
 
"I am extremely proud of the four very well deserving football student-athletes on their pre-season selection, said VUU Head Football Coach Dr. Alvin Parker. "I'm glad to see their hard work hasn't gone unnoticed, they all have put in the work during their time as Panthers for such an honor. We have a few other student-athletes whom I thought were worthy and they will have their chance to show and prove during this upcoming season". 
 
As a team, VUU, which was chosen 25th in the Nation by Lindy's Sports Magazine, was picked to finish fourth in the Northern Division of the CIAA and picked to finish fifth in the CIAA overall.
 
"It's hard to get caught up in pre-season selection, especially coming off of a missed season, said Parker.  "I know our guys are extremely motivated and up for the challenge that the 2021 season will bring. Our body of work over the past two seasons speak for us, so being pick 5th overall won't add any additional fuel to an already hungry team".
 
2021 CIAA Preseason Football Predicted Order of Finish 

1. Bowie State*
2. Fayetteville State
3. Chowan
4. Virginia State
5. Virginia Union
6. Shaw
7. Elizabeth City State
8. Johnson C. Smith
9. Winston-Salem State
10. Lincoln (PA)
11. Livingstone 
12. Saint Augustine's 

*- unanimous choice                              
 
VUU begins the 2021 campaign when the Panthers travel to Hampton, Va., to face the Pirates of Hampton University at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 4.