July 23, 2012

IRVING, Texas - The University of Tulsa's Willie Carter and Dexter McCoil, both seniors, were named to the Conference USA preseason all-conference team as selected by the league's coaches, it was announced today by the C-USA office.

Both players were second-team all-Conference USA selections last year after helping the Golden Hurricane post an 8-5 record and make the school's seventh bowl game in the last nine years.

Carter had a team-leading 868 receiving yards for a 14.2 average, 62 rushing yards and a combined nine TDs - seven receiving and two rushing. He had a career-best 173 yards and one touchdown on 13 receptions against SMU, while going over 100 yards in two more games. In his career, Carter has 1,184 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, and 389 rushing yards with five TDs.

Carter missed the UTEP and BYU games with injuries.

A three-year starter at safety, McCoil enters the 2012 season tied for the school's all-time lead for interceptions with 13. He has had six pick-offs in each of the last two seasons. McCoil totaled 84 tackles, seven pass break-ups and ranked ninth nationally with 6 interceptions for 131 yards a year ago. In his career, McCoil has compiled 225 career tackles, 16 pass break-ups and 13 interceptions.

This preseason, McCoil has been named to the 2012 preseason Watch Lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's top defensive player and the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.

Last year, McCoil finished the season with 10 tackles, two interceptions for 37 yards and one pass breakup against BYU, while being named the Tulsa's MVP of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

2012 C-USA FOOTBALL COACHES PRESEASON AWARDS
First Team Offense
QB      Nick Lamaison, Sr., UTEP
RB      Charles Sims, Jr., Houston
RB      Zach Line, Sr., SMU
OL      Jordan Devey, Sr., Memphis
OL      Joe Duhon, Sr., Southern Miss
OL      Kevin Forsch, Jr., Houston
OL      Theo Goins, Sr., UCF
OL      Chris Hubbard, Sr., UAB
OL      Will Simmons, Jr., East Carolina
WR      Willie Carter, Jr., Tulsa
WR      Aaron Dobson, Sr., Marshall
WR      Darius Johnson, Sr., SMU
TE    	Luke Willson, Sr., Rice
First Team Defense
DL     Michael Brooks, Sr., East Carolina
DL     Jamie Collins, Sr., Southern Miss
DL     Victor Gray, Jr., UCF
DL     Margus Hunt, Sr., SMU
LB     Jeremy Grove, So., East Carolina
LB     Trent Mackey, Sr., Tulane
LB     Taylor Reed, Sr., SMU
DB     Bryce Callahan, So., Rice
DB     D.J. Hayden, Sr., Houston
DB     Kemal Ishmael, Sr., UCF
DB     Dexter McCoil, Sr., Tulsa
First Team Special Teams
K       Chris Boswell, Jr., Rice
P      	Ian Campbell, Sr., UTEP
KR      Rannell Hall, So., UCF
PR     	Tracey Lampley, Sr., Southern Miss

Offensive Player of the Year - Zach Line, Sr., RB, SMU
Defensive Player of the Year - Trent Mackey, Sr., LB, Tulane
Special Teams Player of the Year - Tracey Lampley, Sr., KR/PR, Southern Miss