Dec. 4, 2012

University of South Carolina sophomore defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and junior return specialist Ace Sanders were named to the first-team All-SEC squad as selected by the league’s coaches, the Southeastern Conference announced today.

Clowney, a 6-6, 256-pounder from Rock Hill, S.C., is second in the nation in both sacks (13.0) and tackles for loss (21.5), both single-season school records. He is a finalist for the Nagurski, Lombardi, Bednarik and Hendricks awards, and was a unanimous first-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press.

Sanders, a 5-8, 175-pound junior from Bradenton, Fla., set the Carolina single-season record for punt return yards with 363. He was the top punt returner in the SEC, averaging 14.5 yards per return, with seven returns of 27 yards or more. Sanders was a second-team selection by the Associated Press.

The Gamecocks placed three players on the second team unit, as selected by the league’s 14 coaches. Sanders, who also plays wide receiver the Gamecocks, earned a spot on the second unit as an All-Purpose player. He was joined on the second team by senior center T.J. Johnson and senior safety D.J. Swearinger. Swearinger was also a second-team pick by the A.P.

The conference office will announce the SEC individual awards on Wednesday, while the Freshman All-SEC squad will be released on Thursday.

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

TE – Mychal Rivera, Tennessee

OL – Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

Chance Warmack, Alabama

D.J. Fluker, Alabama

Jake Matthews, Texas A&M

C – Barrett Jones, Alabama

WR – Cobi Hamilton, Arkansas

Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt

QB – Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

RB – Mike Gillislee, Florida

Eddie Lacy, Alabama

AP – Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee

DEFENSE

DL – Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina

Sam Montgomery, LSU

Damontre Moore, Texas A&M

Sharrif Floyd, Florida

LB – Jarvis Jones, Georgia

C.J. Mosley, Alabama

Kevin Minter, LSU

DB – Dee Milliner, Alabama

Matt Elam, Florida

Eric Reid, LSU

Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – Caleb Sturgis, Florida

P – Kyle Christy, Florida

RS – Ace Sanders, South Carolina

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

TE – Jordan Reed, Florida

OL – Larry Warford, Kentucky

Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State

Chris Burnette, Georgia

Dallas Thomas, Tennessee

C – T.J. Johnson, South Carolina

WR – Ryan Swope, Texas A&M

Justin Hunter, Tennessee

QB – AJ McCarron, Alabama

RB – Todd Gurley, Georgia

Zac Stacy, Vanderbilt

AP – Ace Sanders, South Carolina

DEFENSE

DL – Barkevious Mingo, LSU

Sheldon Richardson, Missouri

John Jenkins, Georgia

Corey Lemonier, Auburn

LB – A.J. Johnson, Tennessee

Jon Bostic, Florida

*Cameron Lawrence, Mississippi State

*Alec Ogletree, Georgia

DB – D.J. Swearinger, South Carolina

Bacarri Rambo, Georgia

Robert Lester, Alabama

Darius Slay, Mississippi State

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – Drew Alleman, LSU

P – * Dylan Breeding, Arkansas

* Richard Kent, Vanderbilt

RS – Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee