MONROE, La. – Members of ULM Football are set to appear at the 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days on Thursday (July 16) at the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District in downtown New Orleans, broadcasted on ESPN+. Student-athletes AJ Vinson and Noah Flemmings will join head coach Bryant Vincent to represent the Warhawks.

ULM will appear on the main stage at 2:30 p.m. CT and can be viewed live on the main stage ESPN+ broadcast. The multicast will feature two separate feeds: the traditional Sun Belt Football Media Days show, which will feature portions of the main stage and studio appearances from each team alongside hosts Matt Stewart and Rocky Boiman.

TOP PRESEASON STORYLINES –  
• ULM's 2026 Sun Belt Conference Media Day representatives are Noah Flemmings and AJ Vinson. Flemmings was a selection to the All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense, leading the team with 80 tackles in 2025. His two fumble recoveries ranked 14th in FBS as he led the Warhawk defense in five games. Vinson helped anchor the offensive line in 2025, looking to lead the position again this season. Both Vinson and Flemmings were recognized by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports on the Sun Belt Preseason teams, as well as the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team, as voted on by Sun Belt head coaches.
• Four ULM football players have been recognized on the Preseason All-Sun Belt teams, the most in the Bryant Vincent era and the most since 2020. Two offensive and two defense players were featured on the teams for the Warhawks. AJ Vinson and Noah Flemmings were recognized on the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team and Nic Trujillo and Jabari Tiller were named to the second team.
• Six Warhawks were named to the Phil Steele Preseason Sun Belt teams. On the Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team were offensive lineman AJ Vinson and linebacker Noah Flemmings. On the second team was wide receiver Nic Trujillo. Two were placed on the third team in placekicker Abram Murray and linebacker Jabari Tiller. On the fourth team was running back Don Chaney.
• Five Warhawks were named to the Athlon Sports Preseason Sun Belt teams. On the Athlon Sports Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team were offensive lineman AJ Vinson and linebacker Noah Flemmings. On the second team was newcomer running back Don Chaney. Two were placed on the third team in wide receiver Nic Trujillo and linebacker Jabari Tiller. 
• Returning at the quarterback position this season is fourth-year Aidan Armenta, who assumed the starting position midway through the 2024 season. Fourth-year Landon Graves also makes the return, after appearing in eight games on the offense making a start at Southern Miss last season. Bryson Kimbrough returns for his second season in the quarterback room as well. Two more quarterbacks joined the Warhawks entering 2026, in Houston transfer Austin Carlisle and Iowa Central transfer Ty Purdy.
• The Warhawks reloaded at the running back position by adding transfers Derrick Jameson (Utah State), Don Chaney (Charlotte), Julian Walker (Saint Vincent), CJ Phillip (Iowa Central CC), Bryson Roland  (Arkansas Tech), Trevon Kinchen (Georgia Military) and Makin Lenard (Ouachita Baptist). ULM also brought in true freshman RB Christian Ponti, a local talent coming from West Monroe HS. Jaydon Wright also returns for another season in Monroe.
• Nic Trujillo, named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team, is back on the roster and was one of Armenta's top targets last season. After returning from injury midway through the season, Trujillo caught four touchdowns, including two at the Ragin' Cajuns. JP Coulter appeared in all 12 games last season and totaled 234 yards from 21 catches, concluding his year with a career-high 56 yards at Texas State. Brandon Buckhaulter also returns for his second season, collecting 52 yards and a touchdown last season. Javon Campbell is also back after being sidelined through injury in 2025, appearing at Texas State to make his return. Added to the receiving room are transfers LT Robinson (Hutchinson CC), Demarcco Blanton (Arkansas State), Parker Fulghum (Clemson) and Marcellus Jackson (Itawamba CC). Freshmen in Keidric Osunde-Brown and Jaiden Tucker are also added to the roster.
• The Warhawks return two starting guards from last season. AJ Vinson and Kaliem Croswell are set for their second seasons in Monroe. Vinson was voted to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team. Quentis Griffin Jr. is back for a third season with ULM, after appearing in three games last season. Also returning for the Warhawks' offensive line is David Applewhite and Drew Hutchinson, both of whom saw action last season. Roscoe Tucker and Reese Steele return from injury in 2026. 
• Returning for the defense includes Jabari Tiller appears for a second season with ULM after collecting 45 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Also returning is Zy Jackson, who totaled 25 tackles, a pass breakup and a tackle for loss last season and Jay Harper, who made a start and recorded three tackles. Defensive back Navarion Benson remains with ULM as Korian Wilson returns from injury to make an impact in 2026. Defensive newcomers include Armoni Rue, who saw action in five games and posted five solo stops while at UTSA. Other transfers include RJ Hall (Hinds CC), Jonathan Crain (Co-Lin CC) and Willie Wilson (American International).
• Also returning from injury is defensive end Derek Omoregie, in his second season in Monroe. Moses Madubuike (Navarro JC) and Marvin Hall (Garden City CC) both transfer in to add to the defensive ends. James Smith returns for a fifth year at ULM after appearing in 11 games and notching 14 tackles last season. Sixth year Levontae Jacobs also makes the return on the defensive line, anchoring newcomers such as CJ Wilson (Butler), Zyan Tremont (Jones College) and Colton Vatne (Mississippi Valley State). 
• Noah Flemmings is back for his second season with the Warhawks after posting 80 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries to receive All-Sun Belt Third Team accolades. Joining him is Marcus Ross, who registered 35 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles in his 2025 campaign. Back for a third year is Jaeden Calender, who appeared in all 12 games with 25 tackles and two quarterback hurries under his belt last season. Also returning after seeing action all last season is Kelbee Holmes.
• Newcoming linebackers include Rickey Banks, who recorded 70 tackles last season at Northeast Mississippi CC. Jackson Parker also arrives from Northeast Mississippi. Linebacker LaZavier Amos was named an NJCAA All-American last season after registering 125 tackles and five sacks at Trinity Valley CC. Noah Flemmings adds to the linebacker room after transferring in from Trinity Valley CC, named First Team All-Conference and an NJCAA First Team All-American in 2024.
• Special teams players Max Larson, Makenzie Ryan and Nolan Wilson are all back on ULM's 2026 roster. Larson missed the 2025 season due to injury, but went 14-for-17 on field goal attempts and 27-for-28 on PATs in 2024. Ryan booted 60 punts with an average of 38.8 yards per punt, downing 13 inside the 20-yard line. Wilson was the long snapper for all games last season. ULM signed long snapper Matthew Feibush to the roster, who arrives from Colorado State-Pueblo. Gavin Polk, a Monroe native from Ouachita Christian School, joins the special teams room along with California transfer Abram Murray. Murray was named to the Phil Steele Preseason Sun Belt Fourth Team.
• ULM's coaching staff features six new faces in 2026, including offensive coordinator and receivers coach Jesse Montalto, special teams coordinator and defensive line coach Tony McClain, pass game coordinator Chris Jones, running backs coach Shawn Simmons and tight ends coach Gavin Blomberg. Montalto arrives after eight seasons at the helm of Iowa Central CC, where he claimed the Region XI title and ICCAC Coach of the Year in 2019. McClain makes his ULM appearance after time at East Texas A&M, where he spent two seasons. Jones arrives from a season in the Belichick era at North Carolina as the senior associate director of player personnel. Simmons also arrives from Iowa Central CC, previously playing at Central Methodist. Blomberg rounds out the new staff from Iowa Central.
• ULM's 2026 opponents went a combined 72-81 (.471) in 2025, with five opponents going over .500. In addition, seven foes also participated in postseason bowl games a year ago: Mississippi State (Duke's Mayo Bowl), Louisiana Tech (Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl), Troy (IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl), Southern Miss (New Orleans Bowl), Arkansas State (XBox Bowl), the Ragin' Cajuns (68 Ventures Bowl) and App State (JLab Birmingham Bowl).
• ULM opens its third season under head coach Bryant Vincent at Mississippi State on Saturday, Sept. 5, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT in Starkville on ESPNU.