Central Michigan University Athletics
Eight Chippewas on Steele's MAC Preseason Teams
6/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Eight members of the Central Michigan football team have been named to Phil Steele's 2015 Preseason Mid-American Conference team.
Four of those Chippewas -- offensive lineman Ramadan Ahmeti, defensive linemen Blake Serpa and Joe Ostman, and defensive back Tony Annese -- were named to the first team.
CMU center Nick Beamish along with tight end Ben McCord and defensive back Kavon Frazier were named to the second team, while Brandon Greer, also a defensive back, was named to the third team.
The publication selected four All-MAC teams comprising 28 players each.
Ahmeti is a 6-foot-7, 296-pound senior from Lansing who started all 13 of CMU's games in 2014, helping to pave the way for an offense that averaged 398.1 yards per game.
Serpa and Ostman, both defensive ends, return up front to a defense that ranked No. 1 overall in the MAC and 29th nationally in 2014.
Serpa, a 6-3, 254-pound senior from Sugar Grove, Ill. finished the season with 44 tackles including a team-best 12 ½ tackles-for-loss. He shared the team lead with four sacks.
Ostman, a 6-3, 248-pound junior from St. Ignace, was third on the Chippewas with 60 tackles last season including 10 tackles-for-loss, which was second on the squad behind Serpa. He also had three sacks, recovered a fumble and was named, along with Annese, to the All-MAC Third Team in 2014.
Annese, a 6-1, 203-pound junior safety from Hartland, shared the team lead with three interceptions a year ago and was second on the team with 74 tackles.
Beamish has started all 38 games of his CMU career at center and was named to the All-MAC First Team in 2014, and was an all-conference second team selection as a sophomore in 2013. He appears on the Rimington Watch List for the second consecutive season.
McCord, a 6-4, 238-pound senior from Warren, appeared in all 13 of CMU's games a year ago, making 10 catches for 124 yards and three touchdowns.
Frazier, a 6-foot, 222-pound senior from Grand Rapids, started three games while appearing in all 13 for the Chippewas last season. He ranked fourth on the squad with 58 tackles and broke up four passes.
Greer, a 6-1, 200-pound senior from Dolton, Ill. started all 13 games at cornerback last year, making 47 tackles and sharing the team lead with Annese with three interceptions.
