Five United Athletic Conference football student-athletes have been named to the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team, it was announced Monday.
Austin Peay’s Joshua Sales Jr. was named as a First Team honoree for the second consecutive year after starting and playing in all 12 games for the Govs last season. A First Team All-UAC player, Sales Jr. played primarily right tackle for Austin Peay and helped lead an offensive line that ranked 13th in the country in total offense (451.1), 14th in scoring offense (35.1), 25th in rushing offense (186.4) and allowed just two sacks all season.
Aidan Moe from Tarleton State earned a Second Team nod after starting in all 14 games for the Texans at left tackle. The Parker, Colo. native helped lead a nationally ranked Tarleton State to the number one scoring offense in the country (42.4), fourth in first downs offense (319) and the eighth in offense (457.6).
Abilene Christian’s Luke Roaten earned Second Team honors following a standout season at right tackle. After starting in all 14 games for the Wildcats, Roaten was a major contributor on the offensive line that helped lead the team to an average of 408 yards and 30 points per game.
New to the Texans this year, wide receiver DeAndre Buchannon earned a Second Team nod as a kick returner. Having spent last season at West Georgia, Buchannon rattled off four 30-plus yard kick returns over the season, had a 33-yard punt return and returned a 92-yard kickoff for a touchdown in the team’s season opener. Buchannon ranked sixth in the country in kickoff returns, averaging nearly 30 yards per return.
Austin Peay’s Chris Parson garnered his second consecutive Third Team honor after starting all 12 games with the Govs last season. Parson led an offense that ranked 4th in red zone offense (0.935), 10th in team passing efficiency (160.43), 13th in the country in total offense (451.1) , 14th in passing offense (264.7) and 15th in scoring offense (35.1).
2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team
First Team
Offense
OL - Joshua Sales Jr., Austin Peay
Second Team
Offense
OL - Aidan Moe, Tarleton State
OL - Luke Roaten Abilene Christian
Special Teams
KR - DeAndre Buchannon, Tarleton State
Third Team
Offense
QB - Chris Parson, Austin Peay
For the full list of the 2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team, click
HERE.
Requests for interviews should be directed to:
Claire Johnson, Senior Director, Strategic Communications & Content
Unisun Sports /
claire.johnson@asunsports.org
About the United Athletic Conference
The United Athletic Conference (UAC) was established in 2023 as a single-sport football conference through a partnership between the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and the former Western Athletic Conference. In 2026, the ASUN and UAC formed Unisun Sports to further strengthen the conference, which now features eight football-playing member institutions: Abilene Christian University (Abilene, Texas), Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, Tenn.), the University of Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.), Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Ky.), the University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.), Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Texas), the University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Ga.) and the University of West Florida (Pensacola, Fla.).