Nov. 7, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gamecock junior wide receiver Damiere Byrd earned a spot on the Capital One Academic All-District 4 Team as a wide receiver for the second-consecutive year, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced today.

Byrd leads the team in receiving yards on the season and has started eight of the nine games thus far for the 7-2 Gamecocks. He has four touchdown receptions on the year, tied for second on the team. Byrd twice has pulled down five catches this year to help the Gamecocks to wins, while he set a new personal best with 121 yards at Tennessee.

The 5-9 Byrd also runs track for the Gamecocks, topping the indoor team last winter in both the 60- and 200-meter dashes. He majors in sport and entertainment management.

Also on the District 4 team from the Southeastern Conference were four Georgia student-athletes, Aaron Murray, Chris Burnette, Marshall Morgan and Connor Norman; two from Auburn, Trent Fisher and Steven Clark and Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio. Two players each from Coastal Carolina (Niccolo Mastromatteo and Jeffery Salley) and Wofford (James Zotto and Kevin Thomas) along with The Citadel’s Brandon McCladdie also appeared on the team.

To be nominated, student-athletes must be sophomores both athletically and academically and have a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average. Nominees must also be starters or significant contributors to their team.

Byrd and the rest of the district honorees from the other seven regions will vie for a spot on the Capital One Academic All-America team, an award only four other Gamecocks have earned in history.

2013 Capital One Academic All-District 4
Football – NCAA Division I

QB Aaron Murray, Gr., Georgia
WR Damiere Byrd, Jr., South Carolina
WR Niccolo Mastromatteo, Sr., Coastal Carolina
TE Rush Hendricks, Jr., South Alabama
OL Rashard Brown, Sr., Bethune-Cookman
OL Chris Burnette, Gr., Georgia
OL Garrett Frye, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL Max Holcombe, Jr., Jacksonville State
OL Will Jackson, Gr., Georgia Tech
OL Arie Kouandjio, Jr., Alabama
K Marshall Morgan, So., Georgia

DB Trent Fisher, Jr., Auburn
DB Brandon McCladdie, Gr., The Citadel
DB Connor Norman, Sr., Georgia
DB James Zotto, Sr., Wofford
LB Kevin Thomas, Jr., Wofford
LB Nesley Marcellon, Sr., Bethune-Cookman
LB Bobby Wilson, So., Samford
DL Edward Mosley, Jr., Alabama State
DL Jeremy Towns, Sr., Samford
DL Aaron Riley, Sr., Jacksonville
DL Jeffery Salley, Sr., Coastal Carolina
P Steven Clark, Gr., Auburn