There is talent aplenty on this year’s Virginia Union University football team ... at least that’s what the Panthers’ rival coaches think.

In a vote of the 12 head coaches, eight Panthers were named to the Preseason All-CIAA team.

They are tight end Kalen Carver, offensive lineman Justin Meade, running back Jada Byers, kicker Brady Myers, kick returner Larry Hackey, defensive linemen Isaac Anderson and Armoni Burden and linebacker Shamar Graham.

Under VUU’s coach, Dr. Alvin Parker, the Panthers are coming off a 9-2 season in which it advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Virginia State also is well represented. The Trojans’ preseason picks are offensive lineman Matthew Foster, defensive lineman Miqueal Pillow-Smiley and defensive back Willie Drew.

The “new kid on the block” is Bluefield, W.Va., State, which has rejoined the CIAA for all sports. The Big Blue was a CIAA member from 1932 to 1955, but has since competed until 2013 in the now defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and most recently as an independent. Bluefield State was founded in 1895 as Bluefield Colored Institute.

While it remains an HBCU, only 20 percent of its students are Black.

Bluefield will play at Virginia State Oct. 14. Virginia Union will travel to Bluefield Oct. 28. It is 287 miles from Richmond to Bluefield.

Gone from the football landscape is Chowan, N.C., University, the CIAA’s lone non-HBCU. The Hawks won the CIAA North a year ago, but were essentially booted out due to participation in football and bowling only.