PITTSBURGH - Senior wide receiver Nehari Crawford (Fort Pierce, Fla./Fort Pierce Central) and junior running back A.J. Hines (Wilson, N.C./Fike) were both named to the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team released today. 

Crawford and Hines each earned third-team recognition. 

Crawford hauled in 65 receptions for 1,026 yards, averaging a league-high 93.3 receiving yards per contest as a junior in 2017. In addition, he led the FCS with 15 receiving touchdowns at the end of the regular season. The Fort Pierce, Fla. native registered five 100-yard receiving games and six games with multiple touchdowns. 

Hines returns for his junior campaign at Duquesne having compiled 2,329 career rushing yards with 23 touchdowns in two seasons with the Dukes. As a sophomore, the 2016 Jerry Rice Award winner finished with 1,038 yards with 10 rushing touchdowns in 10 games played. He has tallied 13 100-yard rushing games in his career, good for fourth in school history. 

Both Crawford and Hines were named First Team All-NEC last season and recently earned Preseason All-NEC honors heading into the 2018 campaign. 

The Northeast Conference had three other players garner Preseason All-America accolades: Saint Francis U wide receiver Kamron Lewis along with Bryant linebacker Thomas Costigan and kick return specialist Jean Constant. 

The Dukes have landed a representative on the STATS FCS All-America Team at the conclusion of each of the last seven seasons including Dorian Bell (2012), Ben Huss (2016, 2017), Chris King (2014), Serge Kona (2011), Christian Kuntz (2013, 2015, 2016) and Devin Rahming (2014). 

Duquesne begins the 2018 season traveling to Amherst, Mass. to face FBS Massachusetts at 5:30 PM ET.