Football | 7/23/2025 1:50:00 PM
GREENSBORO – The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Football Conference released its preseason order of finish and all-conference teams on Tuesday ahead of its two-day Media Day Zoom event.
The conference's head coaches picked the North Carolina A&T Aggies to finish 14th out of 14 teams in the league. Additionally, the Aggies had one player named to the preseason all-conference team and another player received honorable mention. Fifth-year senior Korion Sharpe made preseason all-conference as an offensive lineman, while fifth-year senior teammate Aaron Harris earned honorable mention accolades as a kickoff returner.
Voters predicted Rhode Island will win the 2025 CAA title this season. The Rams garnered eight first-place votes and 163 points to earn the distinction of preseason favorites. Head coaches voted Monmouth second, giving the Hawks four first-place votes and 142 points, followed by Villanova's two first-place votes and 139 points. Stony Brook and the University of New Hampshire rounded out the top five.
The Aggies will face Monmouth (November 15) and Stony Brook (November 8) this season. The Aggies received 23 points after going 2-22 over the past two seasons. Entering their third season in the CAA Football Conference, the Aggies are also looking for their first-ever CAA win.
Meanwhile, Sharpe enters his fifth season as a starter. After sustaining some injuries in 2023, Sharpe came back strong in 2024, starting 12 games for the Aggies at the right guard position. At season's end, Sharpe earned honorable mention All-CAA honors. Sharpe captured All-Big South Conference honors in 2022 after helping the Aggies put together the rushing attack in the conference, compiling 2,042 yards. Heading into the 2025 season, Sharpe has played more than 1,600 snaps for the Aggies.
Harris enters the season as one of A&T's team leaders. As a kickoff return specialist last season, he returned 14 kickoffs for 389 yards and a touchdown, earning All-CAA honorable mention recognition as a kickoff returner. His one touchdown in 2024 came on the road at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a 100-yard kickoff return to open the game.
The Aggies return 59 lettermen from the 2024 season, where they went 1-11 overall and 0-8 in conference play. Shawn Gibbs is in his first season as Aggies head coach and will speak at the CAA Media on Thursday at 10:15 a.m., along with Sharpe and Harris.
A&T opens the 2025 season in Nashville, Tenn., against the Tennessee State Tigers on Saturday, August 30 at Nissan Stadium. The kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST.
