For the fourth straight season, Liberty is the choice of Big South coaches and media to claim the league’s title.

The Flames, who have won at least a share of the last four Big South championships, earned 13 of the 15 first-place votes in a poll of the league’s coaches and media and earned 103 points in the weighted system. Stony Brook and Charleston Southern also received first-place consideration. No one picked Liberty to finish worse than second in the conference standings.

Stony Brook (81 points) snapped Liberty’s 16-game Big South win streak last November on Long Island with a thrilling 36-33 victory. The Seawolves, picked second in the league race, travel to Williams Stadium on Nov. 20 in the season finale for both teams.

Coastal Carolina (68) was picked third, followed by Charleston Southern (65), Gardner-Webb (54), VMI (31) and Presbyterian (18).

Liberty quarterback Mike Brown, last season’s Big South offensive player of the year as a sophomore, was tabbed the league’s preseason offensive player of the year. He received nine of the 15 first-place votes. Stony Brook’s Edwin Gowins was second in the voting, followed by Charleston Southern’s Gerald Stevenson. Gardner-Webb linebacker Marty Patterson, who led the Big South in tackles last season, was the defensive POY pick, receiving 13 of the 15 first-place votes. CSU’s Joel Walton was second in the voting, followed by Liberty’s Brent Vinson.

The full preseason all-conference teams are as follows:

OFFENSE:
QB—Mike Brown, Liberty
RB—Edwin Gowins, Stony Brook; Patrick Hall, Gardner-Webb
WR—Gerald Stevenson, Charleston Southern; James Perry III, Gardner-Webb; Chris Summers, Liberty
TE—David Duran, Coastal Carolina
OL—Corey O’Daniel, Gardner-Webb; Paul Fenaroli, Stony Brook; Alex Stadler, Liberty; Jordan Lancaster, Charleston Southern; Jamie Dunaway, Gardner-Webb

DEFENSE:
DL—Joel Walton, Charleston Southern; Asa Chapman, Liberty; Josh Wine, VMI; Quinton Davis, Coastal Carolina
LB—Marty Patterson, Gardner-Webb; Jeffery Williams, Gardner-Webb; Doncel Bolt, Liberty; Emilio Calvin, VMI
DB—Josh Norman, Coastal Carolina; Cedric McGowan, Gardner-Webb; Brent Vinson, Liberty; KaJuan Lee, Liberty (tie), Chris Kuzdale, Charleston Southern (tie)

SPECIAL TEAMS:
K—Matt Bevins, Liberty
P—Marc Ray, VMI
LS—Daniel Bonifas, Coastal Carolina
KR—Tyson Petty, Gardner-Webb
PR—Gerald Stevenson, Charleston Southern