Charlotte 49ers red-shirt senior safety Ben DeLuca and junior defensive end Markees Watts were both named to the all-Conference USA preseason football team as determined by a vote of the league's 14 coaches.
DeLuca is a three-year starter who missed the bulk of the 2019 season with injury. During his standout career, he has amassed 265 tackles, 41 shy of the 49ers all-time school record of 306, set last season by linebacker Jeff Gemmell. The reliable defensive back is a two-time Honorable Mention all-Conference USA choice and was named to the league's all-Freshman Team in 2016, when he earned Freshman all-America honors from Pro Football Focus (PFF).