SAN MARCOS, Texas – Offensive tackle Dalton Cooper and kicker Seth Keller were named Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team while offensive lineman Kyle Hergel was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team as the conference released its preseason honors voted on by coaches and media ahead of the 2022 football season.
 
The three Bobcats are the most preseason all-conference picks by coaches and media since 2019 while Cooper and Keller are the first Bobcats voted to the preseason first team since Bryan London II in 2019. Cooper is also the first Texas State offensive player named preseason all-conference first team since Adrian Bellard in 2015.
 
Already a preseason all-conference honoree by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele, Cooper is coming off a 2021 season in which he started all 12 games at left tackle, surrendered one sack on 450 pass plays, and was named All-Sun Belt Third Team by coaches and media. The Prague, Okla. native finished last season as the sixth-best rated lineman in the Sun Belt by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and was the top-rated left tackle in the conference.
 
Keller earned preseason first team honors after he was named All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention last year. The Colleyville, Texas product finished the 2021 season fourth in the conference in field goals made and third in success rate. He enters this season sixth in school history in career field goals made and first in career success rate.
 
Joining Cooper on the offensive line, Hergel was an All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention last year in his first season with Texas State. He started all 12 games at right guard and finished the year as the fourth-rated offensive lineman in the Sun Belt by PFF. He was named Preseason All-Sun Belt by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele earlier this summer, and last week was tabbed as the No. 20 interior offensive lineman in the nation by PFF.
 
The Sun Belt Conference also released the preseason poll, with Texas State being picked to finish fourth in the West Division and eighth overall with 41 points. Louisiana (95 points) and App State (94 points) were picked to finish atop the West and East Divisions, respectively. South Alabama, picked to finish second in the West Division, was the only other team in the division to receive first-place votes.
 
The Bobcats, who start their season on September 3 at Nevada, will take part in Sun Belt Media Days this Wednesday in New Orleans. Fans can watch on ESPN+ and listen to the Texas State Radio Show live from the event from 10 am – 12 pm on the Varsity Network app and TXST.com.

2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL 
East Division 
1. App State – 94 Points (10) 
2. Coastal Carolina – 77 Points (2) 
3. Georgia State – 68 Points (1) 
4. Marshall – 62 Points 
5. Georgia Southern – 35 Points (1) 
6. James Madison – 31 Points 
7. Old Dominion – 25 Points 
 
West Division 
1. Louisiana – 95 Points (12) 
2. South Alabama – 79 Points (2) 
3. Troy – 76 Points 
4. Texas State – 41 Points 
5. Southern Miss – 40 Points 
6. Arkansas State – 37 Points 
7. ULM – 24 Points