The CAA, formerly known as the Colonial Athletic Association from 2007 through 2022, changed its name in July 2023 to accommodate future membership expansion outside of the Thirteen Colonies.
In the CAA preseason poll released on July 25, 2023, the Tribe were predicted to finish in first place out of 15 teams following the addition of Campbell and North Carolina A&T for the 2023 season.[1][2]
Junior linebacker John Pius, redshirt senior running back Bronson Yoder, junior offensive lineman Charles Grant, redshirt senior defensive lineman Nate Lynn, redshirt senior linebacker Isaiah Jones, redshirt senior cornerback Ryan Poole, and redshirt sophomore cornerback Jalen Jones were named to the CAA preseason all-conference team.[3] Pius was also named the preseason CAA Defensive Player of the Year, an award he won in 2022.[3] W&M's seven all-conference picks were the most of any team in the league, while its five defensive selections also led all schools.[3]