BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference office has announced that it will hold its annual SWAC Football Media Day on Friday, July 13 as it returns to the refurbished Birmingham Marriott in Birmingham, Ala.

The event will be streamed live on the SWAC Digital Network found on SWAC.org beginning at 10 a.m. CT as longtime SWAC broadcaster Santoria Black will serve as the moderator and lead host in interviewing each of the 10 head football coaches. Gaati Werema, who notably has worked in prior seasons as SDN’s basketball analyst, will be conducting interviews with each school’s student-athlete representatives. Each member institution will have two student-athletes that will accompany their respective head coach.

The annual kickoff to the SWAC football season - this year's media gathering will feature five new head coaches at the helm.

Among the fresh faces include Alabama A&M’s Connell Maynor, Alabama State’s Donald Hill-Eley, Mississippi Valley State’s Vincent Dancy, Prairie View A&M’s Eric Dooley and Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Cedric Thomas.

Veteran head coaches to the event include Alcorn State’s Fred McNair of the defending SWAC East Division Champions, Grambling State’s Broderick Fobbs of the SWAC’s defending champions, Jackson State’s Tony Hughes, Southern’s Dawson Odums and Texas Southern’s Michael Haywood.

Prior to the event, the league will announce the 2018 All-SWAC preseason teams as well as the predicted order of finish, voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.