STATS - Duquesne's A.J. Hines (Wilson, N.C. / Fike) earned his third preseason national honor on Tuesday afternoon as the senior running back was named a STATS Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Preseason First Team All-American.

Hines also garnered preseason All-America laurels by both Athlon Sports and HERO Sports in June after being named an All-American by five organizations following a standout junior campaign in 2018.

The 2016 Jerry Rice Award winner recorded 1,520 rushing yards last season, good for third in the FCS. He also ranked sixth in the country with 15 rushing touchdowns on the year.

Hines begins his senior season first among active FCS players with 3,849 career rushing yards and 38 rushing scores. The reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Year and Walter Payton Award finalist is second in program history in rushing touchdowns and third in rushing yards. He has registered 20 career 100-yard rushing performances across the last three seasons for Duquesne.

The team announced Tuesday goes three squads deep and features 98 players from 60 schools with at least three selections from all 13 FCS conferences. Recognized were 34 players who were named 2018 postseason All-Americans, including Hines.

The NEC landed three players on the first team including Hines, Central Connecticut State offensive lineman J'Von Brown and Wagner linebacker Cam Gill. Saint Francis U returner Nick Rinella earned second team honors while Sacred Heart running back Jordan Meachum and SFU linebacker Da'Jon Lee were named to the third team.