July 28, 2009
IRVING (SMU/C-USA) - SMU senior wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders has been named a preseason first-team All-Conference USA performer by the league's 12 head coaches, the league office announced today.
Sanders begins his senior season as SMU's career leader in TD catches (27). In 2008, he earned second-team All-C-USA accolades after catching 67 passes for 958 yards and nine TDs in 10 games. Sanders finished 11th in the nation at 95.8 receiving yards per game set a new SMU season record with six 100-yard games. He is the first player in SMU history to record three 600-yard receiving seasons.
The award comes one day after Sanders and teammates Aldrick Robinson and Pete Fleps earned preseason All-C-USA honors from the league's media.
Sanders, Fleps and Robinson and all the Mustang players will report for fall camp on August 7, with the opener scheduled for Sept. 5 when the Mustangs host Stephen F. Austin.
2009 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS
First Team Offense
QB Case Keenum, Jr., Houston
RB Bryce Beall, So., Houston
RB Damion Fletcher, Sr., Southern Miss
OL Sean Allen, Sr., East Carolina
OL Carl Barnett, Sr., Houston
OL Ryan Hebert, Sr., Southern Miss
OL Tyler Holmes, So., Tulsa
OL Dominik Riley, Jr., Memphis
OL Jake Seitz, Sr., UAB
WR DeAndre Brown, So., Southern Miss
WR Tyron Carrier, So., Houston
WR Emmanuel Sanders, Sr., SMU
TE Cody Slate, Sr., Marshall
First Team Defense
DL Anthony Gray, Jr., Southern Miss
DL Albert McClellan, Sr., Marshall
DL Bruce Miller, Jr., UCF
DL C.J. Wilson, Sr., East Carolina
LB Mike Bryan, Sr., Tulsa
LB Mario Harvey, Sr., Marshall
LB Nick Johnson, Sr., East Carolina
DB Van Eskridge, Sr., East Carolina
DB Eddie Hicks, Sr., Southern Miss
DB James Lockett, Sr., Tulsa
DB Andrew Sendejo, Sr., Rice
First Team Special Teams
K Ben Hartman, Sr., East Carolina
P Ross Thevenot, Jr., Tulane
KR Damaris Johnson, So., Tulsa
PR D.A. Griffin, Jr., Memphis
