Tag: all american

Jaylin Simpson named AP, ESPN midseason All-American

Jaylin Simpson has had the best stretch of his career and is getting recognized.

[autotag]Jaylin Simpson[/autotag] has arguably been Auburn’s top player this season and he is getting some worthy recognition.

Simpson was named a midseason All-American by both ESPN and the Associated Press on Wednesday. Simpson’s four interceptions are tied for the fourth most in the country.

The Brunswick, Georgia native spent his first three and a half seasons on the Plains as a cornerback before sliding to safety late last season due to injury. He fit seamlessly into his new position and entered the offseason with plenty of hype. Prior to the season secondary coach [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag] said “he can be a Sunday player.”

Simpson has backed up that claim and in addition to his four interceptions, has made 20 tackles, defended two passes and recovered a fumble.

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Brian Battie named preseason All-American by Phil Steele

He returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in 2021.

[autotag]Brian Battie[/autotag] is one of Auburn’s most exciting newcomers for his ability to affect the game as a running back and a returner.

Battie was a consensus All-American in 2021 at kick returner after leading the country with three kick-return touchdowns and averaging 32.5 yards per return.

Phil Steele’s annual college football preview magazine is out and he thinks Battie will once again be one of the top returners in college football, naming him a third-team All-American in the all-purpose category.

He is more than just a returner though, he rushed for 1,186 yards and eight touchdowns as USF’s top running back before entering the transfer portal and committing to Auburn.

The 5-foot-7, 170-pounder is expected to give Auburn a potent rushing attack with [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag]. Hunter was actually Auburn’s top kick returner with an average of 21.57 yards per return.

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Ike Irish named to third Freshman All-American team

He has now been named an All-American by Perfect Game/Rawlings, Collegeiate Baseball and the NCBWA.

[autotag]Ike Irish[/autotag] has made yet another Freshman All-American roster, this time he has been named a First-Team Freshman All-American by Perfect Game/Rawlings.

He was also named an All-American by Collegiate Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Auburn’s designated hitter hit .361 with 24 2B, six HR and 50 RBI in his first season on the Plains and was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team after being named the Freshman of the Week three times.

He led the team in average, hits and doubles and was second in RBI and third in runs (48). His 24 doubles are a new Auburn freshman record.

The Hudsonville, Michigan native started all 58 games for Auburn and is expected to be a cornerstone of next year’s roster.

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Maddie Penta named a First-Team All-American by the NFCA

The recognition keeps pouring in for her great season.

After a sensational junior season, Auburn ace [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] has been named a First-Team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, the organization announced Wednesday.

She was selected as an at-large pitcher and is the 16th NFCA All-American in Auburn history and the first ever to make the first team. Penta is the first Tiger to earn first-team recognition since Kasey Cooper in 2016.

The first SEC Pitcher of the Year in program history, Penta finished the season with a 27-7 record and a 1.33 ERA. Her 27 wins tied the program record and her ERA is the second-lowest in program history.

RELATED: Looking back at Maddie Penta’s junior season

She threw a complete game i 17 of her 37 starts, with the most notable being when she threw a no-hitter against South Carolina, Auburn’s first in SEC play in 17 years.

Her 303 strikeouts rank second nationally as she became the second Tiger to ever strikeout 300 batters in a season. She recorded 10 double-digit strikoeut games and struck out 17 batters against Missouri.

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Megan Schofill named First-Team All-American by WGCA

She is the 12th First-Team All-American golfer in program history.

Auburn senior [autotag]Megan Schofill[/autotag] has been named a First-Team All-American, the Women’s Golf Coaches Association announced on Friday.

“What an absolute honor for Megan to be selected for first team,” Auburn head coach [autotag]Melissa Luellen[/autotag] said. “A true list of the vest best in college golf with all bright futures beyond college in the professional ranks. Megan works very hard and is very coachable. She asks questions all the time to learn as much about the game as possible- a winning combination.”

Schofill is the 27th All-American and the 12th First-team All-American golfer in Auburn history.

She broke the program record for most career rounds under par during the season (43) and continues to hold the program’s lowest career scoring average (72.14). Her par-4 scoring average of 4.026 this season is the lowest in Auburn history and her par-3 scoring average of 3.045 is the second lowest in program history.

Schofill also finished second at the 2023 SEC Championship and her 205 (-11) at the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah in the fall tied her for the second all-time lowest 54-hole score in Auburn history. Her second round 65 (-7) at the event tied the second-lowest 18-hole score in program history.

The WGCA uses head-to-head competition, comparison with common opponents, scoring average, place finishes in regular season events and tournament wins and strength of schedule as criteria to create their annual All-American teams.

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Athlon’s preseason All-American teams include five Georgia football players

Five Georgia players made Athlon Sports’ preseason All-American teams.

Five Georgia Bulldogs were recently included on Athlon Sports’ preseason All-American teams.

The three Bulldogs who earned first-team honors should not be difficult to guess — tight end Brock Bowers, cornerback Kelee Ringo and defensive tackle Jalen Carter.

Outside linebacker Nolan Smith earned second team honors. Safety Chris Smith made the fourth team.

Both Carter and Ringo are expected to be early picks in next year’s NFL draft and will be the leaders on Georgia’s 2022 defense along with outside linebacker Nolan Smith and safety Chris Smith.

Ringo, a redshirt sophomore and former five-star recruit out of Scottsdale, Arizona, recorded 34 tackles, two interceptions and a touchdown that will go down as maybe the greatest play in the history of Georgia football.

Pro Football Focus recently listed its top ten defensive tackle prospects for the 2023 NFL draft, with Carter checking in at No. 1. A junior out of Apopka, Florida, Carter is coming off a season in which he recorded 37 tackles, 8.5 for a loss and three sacks.

Bowers will only be a sophomore next season but was surely America’s top tight end in 2021.

He was easily Georgia’s biggest offensive weapon last season and reeled in 56 catches for 882 yards, 13 receiving touchdowns and 1 rushing touchdown en route to being named a member of the Associated Press and Coaches’ All-SEC First Team. His 13 receiving touchdowns are a single season record at UGA. He was also named the SEC Freshman of the Year.

Nolan Smith and Christopher Smith both opted to return to Georgia for their senior seasons and boost their draft stock.

Both played a huge role on Georgia’s 2021 defense and will look to do so again in 2022.

Nolan Smith recorded 53 total tackles, 8 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 interception and 3 forced fumbles last season and will be one of the league’s best pass rushers this fall.

Christopher Smith started the season with a pick-six against Clemson in a 10-3 victory and closed it with a nice showing against Alabama in the national title game.

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Two Auburn players make new preseason All-American list

Both players have been mentioned as potential draft prospects for 2023.

As The Tigers’ Sept.  3 debut against the Mercer Bears draws ever closer, it’s about that time of year where preseason lists and polls begin to run rampant in anticipation of the upcoming season.

Such is the case with Athlon Sports’ new preseason All-American list, and two Auburn Tigers have made the cut. Defensive end [autotag]Derick Hall[/autotag] was listed on the third-team defense and running back [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag] was listed on the fourth-team offense.

Hall’s inclusion should be no shocker to Auburn fans. He’s been touted as a potential 2023 first-round draft pick from numerous analysts and he looks to be the key figure on an Auburn defense that otherwise has a considerable amount of question marks. Last year, Hall had nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.

Bigsby is another prospect who has been turning heads for college football this year, being ranked as a top running back in numerous lists and also getting some recognition as a potential draft prospect himself. With a new quarterback stepping into the fold, the Tigers could use Bigsby heavily as an anchor for the offense.

Coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag] will certainly hope that these two players live up to expectations, and both Bigsby and Hall will look to impress NFL scouts as their draft aspirations draw closer after this year.

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Sonny DiChiara named All-American by D1Baseball

Sonny DiChiara was one of the best players in college baseball this season.

The awards keep on coming for [autotag]Sonny DiChiara[/autotag].

The Auburn slugger was named a First-Team All-American by D1Baseball last week at designated hitter. The Hoover, Alabama native has now made seven All-American teams and is the program’s third-ever consensus All-American in program history, joining Casey Mize and Frank Thomas.

He was named a first-teamer by D1Baseball, the ABCA, Baseball America, and Perfect Game. He made the second-team for the NCBW, Collegiate Baseball, and College Baseball Foundation.

DiChiara led the SEC in batting average (.383), slugging percentage (.777), on base percentage (.549), and walks (68).

His 22 home runs were good enough for fourth-most in the conference and the second-most in Auburn history, one behind the 23 Hunter Morris hit in 2010. He also drove in 53 runs and rewched base in 63 of Auburn’s 65 games this season.

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Auburn Baseball: Two Tigers earn All-American Honors

Auburn’s Sonny DiChiara and Blake Burkhalter earn more recognition for their impressive seasons.

Two of the SEC’s best players from the 2022 season have earned more hardware.

Auburn Baseball’s [autotag]Sonny DiChiara[/autotag] and [autotag]Blake Burkhalter[/autotag] have been recognized as All-Americans by two separate organizations.

DiChiara earned his 4th and 5th All-American honor for the season by being named a second-team All-American by the Collegiate Baseball Association, as well as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

DiChiara hit 22 home runs and sent 53 runs home to score in 2022. His 22 home runs were the fourth-most in the SEC, and the second-most home runs hit by an Auburn Tiger in program history, one behind Hunter Morris’ 23 in 2010. He was also walked 68 times this season, which is the most in the country.

The SEC’s save leader, Blake Burkhalter, was named second team All-American by the Collegiate Baseball Association.

Burkhalter appeared in a career-high 30 games this season on the mound, going 4-2 with 17 strikeouts and an SEC-best 16 saves in 46.1 innings. Some of his most notable outings this season included recording two saves for Auburn in their Corvallis Regional win, as well as recording the final six outs of the Auburn Regional championship game against UCLA.

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Sonny DiChiara makes Collegiate Baseball All-American team

This will not be his last All-American nod.

[autotag]Sonny DiChiara[/autotag] has already been named the SEC Co-Player of the Year but the senior is not done winning awards. He was named a Second Team All-America by Collegiate Baseball earlier this week.

DiChiara leads the SEC in on-base percentage (.555) and slugging percentage (.794) and ranks third in batting average (.383). His on-base percentage is the second-best in the country.

The senior’s 19 home runs are the most by an Auburn player since 2010, while his 62 walks are the most in the country and the second-most in the team’s single-season history.

He is the 32nd All-America honor in program history and is the seventh consecutive season an Auburn player has earned an All-America nod.

DiChiara and the No. 14 national seed Tigers (38-19) are set to face FSU  Saturday at 6 p.m. CT in the second round of the Auburn Regional. The winner will move on to the championship game. The Tigers have won their last seven regional games.

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