A total of 13 Bearcats made the all conference team, while Ivan Pace Jr was named defensive player of the year and Mason Fletcher was named special teamer of the year. Release from UC:
Senior linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. nabbed Defensive Player of the Year honors and sophomore punter Mason Fletcher grabbed Special Teams Player of the Year accolades to lead 13 Cincinnati football players on the All-American Athletic Conference teams that were announced by the league on Wednesday.
Pace Jr. and Fletcher also were named to the All-AAC First Team, joining senior tight end Josh Whyle, senior defensive lineman Jowon Briggs, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Dontay Corleone and senior cornerback Ja’Quan Sheppard.
Snagging All-AAC Second Team honors were: junior wide receiver Tyler Scott, senior offensive tackle James Tunstall, senior safety Ja’Von Hicks and senior kicker Ryan Coe.
Earning honorable mention all-league were: senior cornerback Arquon Bush, redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Joe Huber and senior offensive lineman Dylan O’Quinn.
Pace Jr. is the second straight Bearcat to be named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who was the unanimous choice in 2021.
The Cincinnati native led the AAC in tackles (120), tackles for loss (19.5) and ranked second in sacks (9.0). He is a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker, and the Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s top overall defender.
Fletcher is the first Bearcat to win the AAC’s Special Team Player of the Year award. He is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s top punter, and ranks fourth nationally in average (46.7). He set the AAC record with an 84-yard punt at SMU earlier this season.
Whyle becomes a three-time all-conference selection, earning honorable mention in 2021 and second team honors in 2020. He finished with 32 receptions for 326 yards and three scores in 2022, while also proving to be a devastating blocker. He set the UC record for career touchdowns by a tight end with 15.
Briggs, Corleone and Sheppard are First Team selections for the first time, having stepped up in more prominent roles this season.
Briggs and Corleone rotated at nose tackle. Briggs had 58 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, three sacks and five hurries this fall, while Corleone tallied 45 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, three sacks and two forced fumbles.
Sheppard ranked second in the league in pass breakups (10) and finished with 50 tackles and 4.5 TFLs, while starting all 12 games at boundary cornerback after replacing Gardner.
Hicks and O’Quinn wrap up their careers as two-time all-league selections, as well.
AAC RoofClaim Defensive Player of the Year: LB Ivan Pace Jr.
AAC Special Teams Player of the Year: P Mason Fletcher
All-AAC First Team
TE Josh Whyle (3x all-league)
LB Ivan Pace Jr.
DT Jowon Briggs
DT Dontay Corleone
CB Ja’Quan Sheppard
P Mason Fletcher
All-AAC Second Team
WR Tyler Scott
OT James Tunstall
S Ja’Von Hicks (2x all-league)
K Ryan Coe
All-AAC Honorable Mention
CB Arquon Bush
OT Joe Huber
OL Dylan O’Quinn (2x all-league)
Mike Tressel named AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year
Defensive coordinator Mike Tressel was named AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year on Tuesday. Tressel, a 27-year veteran of the coaching profession, has served as the Bearcats’ defensive coordinator for the last two years, helping leading UC to a 22-4 record, an AAC Championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Senior linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. nabbed Defensive Player of the Year honors and sophomore punter Mason Fletcher grabbed Special Teams Player of the Year accolades to lead 13 Cincinnati football players on the All-American Athletic Conference teams that were announced by the league on Wednesday.
Pace Jr. and Fletcher also were named to the All-AAC First Team, joining senior tight end Josh Whyle, senior defensive lineman Jowon Briggs, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Dontay Corleone and senior cornerback Ja’Quan Sheppard.
Snagging All-AAC Second Team honors were: junior wide receiver Tyler Scott, senior offensive tackle James Tunstall, senior safety Ja’Von Hicks and senior kicker Ryan Coe.
Earning honorable mention all-league were: senior cornerback Arquon Bush, redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Joe Huber and senior offensive lineman Dylan O’Quinn.
Pace Jr. is the second straight Bearcat to be named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who was the unanimous choice in 2021.
The Cincinnati native led the AAC in tackles (120), tackles for loss (19.5) and ranked second in sacks (9.0). He is a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker, and the Bednarik Award, given to the nation’s top overall defender.
Fletcher is the first Bearcat to win the AAC’s Special Team Player of the Year award. He is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s top punter, and ranks fourth nationally in average (46.7). He set the AAC record with an 84-yard punt at SMU earlier this season.
Whyle becomes a three-time all-conference selection, earning honorable mention in 2021 and second team honors in 2020. He finished with 32 receptions for 326 yards and three scores in 2022, while also proving to be a devastating blocker. He set the UC record for career touchdowns by a tight end with 15.
Briggs, Corleone and Sheppard are First Team selections for the first time, having stepped up in more prominent roles this season.
Briggs and Corleone rotated at nose tackle. Briggs had 58 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, three sacks and five hurries this fall, while Corleone tallied 45 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, three sacks and two forced fumbles.
Sheppard ranked second in the league in pass breakups (10) and finished with 50 tackles and 4.5 TFLs, while starting all 12 games at boundary cornerback after replacing Gardner.
Hicks and O’Quinn wrap up their careers as two-time all-league selections, as well.
AAC RoofClaim Defensive Player of the Year: LB Ivan Pace Jr.
AAC Special Teams Player of the Year: P Mason Fletcher
All-AAC First Team
TE Josh Whyle (3x all-league)
LB Ivan Pace Jr.
DT Jowon Briggs
DT Dontay Corleone
CB Ja’Quan Sheppard
P Mason Fletcher
All-AAC Second Team
WR Tyler Scott
OT James Tunstall
S Ja’Von Hicks (2x all-league)
K Ryan Coe
All-AAC Honorable Mention
CB Arquon Bush
OT Joe Huber
OL Dylan O’Quinn (2x all-league)
Mike Tressel named AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year
Defensive coordinator Mike Tressel was named AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year on Tuesday. Tressel, a 27-year veteran of the coaching profession, has served as the Bearcats’ defensive coordinator for the last two years, helping leading UC to a 22-4 record, an AAC Championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.
