Courtesy of WKU Athletics
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Five WKU Football players were named to the Conference USA Preseason Watch List and the Hilltoppers were selected second in the 2024 CUSA Football Media Predicted Order of Finish, the league announced Friday.
The group of Hilltoppers on the Preseason Watch List included running back Elijah Young, offensive lineman Quantavious Leslie, defensive lineman Hosea Wheeler, defensive back Upton Stout, and kicker Lucas Carneiro.
Five student-athletes from each of the conference’s 10 institutions were recognized as key players to watch ahead of the 2024 season, as selected by the league’s 10 head coaches.
Wheeler and Carneiro both received All-CUSA recognition following the 2023 season.
Wheeler, a redshirt junior, was named All-CUSA Second Team after playing in all 13 of WKU’s games in 2023 with 11 starts. The defensive tackle recorded 42 total tackles, including three for loss and two sacks, a forced fumble, an interception, and a quarterback hurry.
Carneiro, a redshirt sophomore, was named CUSA Honorable Mention and to the CUSA All-Freshman Team. He stepped into kicking duties for WKU in all 13 games during the 2023 season and went 9-of-12 on field goals and a perfect 47-of-47 on PATs. Carneiro connected on two field goals in his debut against South Florida on Sept. 2 and was named Conference USA’s Special Teams Player of the Week. He made the 29-yard game-winning field goal in WKU’s 38-35 overtime victory against Old Dominion during the Famous Toastery Bowl on Dec. 18.
Leslie has been a longtime contributor at left guard for the Hilltoppers and enters his fourth year as a starter. In 2023, he started all 12 of the team’s regular-season games, helping the Hilltoppers finish second in Conference USA and tied for ninth nationally in sacks allowed with just one per game.
Stout put up big numbers in an injury-shortened season in 2023. He appeared in seven games with six starts for the Hilltoppers and was a big-time playmaker in the secondary. Despite missing five games to injury, he finished the year with 29 total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception, five quarterback hurries, and eight pass breakups. His interception came in the 52-22 victory over Houston Christian, and he returned the ball 53 yards for a touchdown. He posted his second defensive touchdown of the season in the regular-season finale at FIU on Nov. 25 when he recovered a fumble and returned it 16 yards to the end zone.
Young made a splash during his first season at WKU in 2023. He played in all 13 games with 10 starts and led the team in rushing with 474 yards and three touchdowns on 104 attempts. He added 247 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions.
Stout and Young will represent WKU at the CUSA Kickoff & Media Day on Tuesday, July 23, in Frisco, Texas.
The Hilltoppers were picked to finish second in CUSA, as voted on by the league’s 10 head coaches and select media members. WKU received 173 total points, with two first place votes.
School (first-place votes)
Total
1. Liberty (18) 197
2. WKU (2) 173
3. Jax State 166
4. MTSU 98
t5. NM State 97
t5. Sam Houston 97
7. LA Tech 88
8. FIU 81
9. UTEP 76
10. Kennesaw State 27
WKU is scheduled to kick off the 2024 season with a 6 p.m. CT game at Alabama on Saturday, Aug. 31. The Hilltoppers will host Eastern Kentucky for their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. CT, and will open CUSA play the following week with a 6 p.m. CT game at Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 14.
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