Chanticleers Set for 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days
7/8/2026 11:00:00 AM | Football
CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina head football coach Ryan Beard, wide receiver Robby Washington and defensive lineman Ibrahim Diawara will represent the Chanticleers at the 2026 Sun Belt Football Media Days on Wednesday, July 15, at the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District in New Orleans, La.
Beard will make his first appearance at Sun Belt Football Media Days as the Chanticleers' head coach. Joining him will be Washington, a redshirt junior wide receiver from Miami, Fla., and Diawara, a redshirt senior defensive lineman from Philadelphia, Pa.
Wednesday's schedule will feature the Sun Belt East Division, including App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Marshall and Old Dominion. The Sun Belt West Division (Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, ULM, South Alabama, Southern Miss and Troy) will take part on Thursday, July 16. Louisiana Tech will make its first appearance at Sun Belt Football Media Days after officially joining the Sun Belt Conference on July 1.
The two-day event, which will officially kick off the 2026 Sun Belt football season, will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN+ and feature all 14 conference programs. Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill will open Wednesday's festivities with his annual State of the Conference address before coaches and players from each East Division program meet with local, regional and national media throughout the day.
Coastal Carolina will open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, at West Virginia before hosting Fordham in its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Brooks Stadium.
