ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell football team placed nine student-athletes on Phil Steele's 2023 preseason all-conference team. Senior linebacker Jake Stebbins was a first-team pick, with offensive lineman Micah Sahakian, quarterback Jameson Wang and return specialist Davon Kiser on the second team. The third team included running back Eddy Tillman, offensive lineman Jackson Bradley, tight end Matt Robbert, linebacker Connor Henderson and place-kicker Jackson Kennedy.

Stebbins, a three-time All-Ivy selection and a first-teamer in 2021, enters his final season ranked among the school's all-time leaders in tackles (230, 15th), tackles for loss (19.0, 24th) and forced fumbles (three, 22nd). The two-time captain posted a team-best 76 tackles with 2.5 for a loss, two fumbles recovered, three pass breakups and two hurries in 10 starts last fall. He ranked fifth in the Ivy League in tackles and second in fumbles recovered with two, a number that was 13th nationally.

Sahakian was an honorable mention All-Ivy League pick on the offensive line in 2022 after starting nine games and playing both tackle spots. He blocked for an offense that led the Ivy League in time of possession by nearly two minutes per game and allowed just 14 sacks, the second-fewest in school history (nine in 2021). He was on the field for 613 offensive snaps last year, fourth-most on the team.

An honorable mention pick at quarterback last season, Wang was chosen as an all-purpose pick by the publication. Wang accounted for a league-best 22 touchdowns (14 passing, 8 rushing) a season ago, rushing for 559 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and passing for 1,650 yards and 14 scores (.573 completion percentage). He ranked in the top 100 nationally in 14 offensive categories.

Kiser earned second team All-Ivy League honors as a return specialist last fall after he was one of just three players in the Ivy League with a kickoff return touchdown. He gifted Cornell the go-ahead score against Dartmouth late in the third quarter with an electric 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and averaged 39.0 yards on three kickoffs.

Tillman ranked second on the team in rushing yards (276) while starting six games at running back as season ago before missing the final four games due to injury. He averaged 4.0 yards per carry and posted his first 100-yard rushing game with 130 yards on 14 carries in a win at Brown before suffering an injury in the second half.

Bradley started all 10 games at right guard for a team that paced the Ivy League in fourth-down conversions (15-of-26, 58 percent). With Bradley in the lineup, the Big Red allowed one sack or fewer in six contests, including two games with zero sacks surrendered. His 705 offensive snaps ranked second on the team in 2022.

Robbert was an honorable mention All-Ivy League selection at tight end after finishing second on the team in receptions (31), receiving yards (468) and receiving touchdowns (three). His three receiving touchdowns was a season record for a Big Red tight end. Robbert led the Ivy League in yards per catch in Ivy games (16.5) while ranking in the top 10 in receiving yards per game.

Another All-Ivy pick in 2022, Henderson was an honorable mention All-Ivy pick at linebacker. He closed the season ranked fifth on team with 47 tackles and added three pass breakups, a fumble recovery, three quarterback hurries and an interception in 10 contests (nine starts).

Kennedy was a second-team All-Ivy League place-kicker after he connected on 7-of-11 field goals and all 25 PAT kicks during the season, posting 46 points (second on the team). The Ivy League and National Special Teams Player of the Week after he drilled a 45-yard game-winning field goal with 1:55 remaining at Colgate, capping off a perfect kicking day (2-for-2 field goals, 4-for-4 PATs), he was also the team's primary kickoff specialist with 23 touchbacks on 42 kickoffs.

The Big Red opens the 2023 season when it visits Lehigh on Saturday, Sept. 16 in Bethlehem, Pa. Cornell opens its home slate when it welcomes Central New York rival Colgate to Schoellkopf Field on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. for Homecoming