Eight Panthers Named Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference

ATLANTA -- Led by first-team selections Malik Sumter, Antavious Lane and Blake Carroll, Georgia State placed eight student-athletes on the 2022 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team, announced Monday ahead of the league's annual Media Days.

In addition to Sumter, Lane and Carroll on the first team, five Panthers were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt second team: running back Tucker Gregg, offensive linemen Travis Glover and Pat Bartlett, tight end Aubry Payne and defensive lineman Thomas Gore.

Georgia State was picked to finish third in the East Division, behind Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina, in the preseason poll, voted on by a panel of head coaches and media members. Defending champion Louisiana was picked to win the West.

Preseason All-Sun Belt

Lane, the junior safety from West Palm Beach, Fla., is a two-time All-Sun Belt selection and Georgia State's career leader with nine interceptions. Earlier today, he was named to the 2022 preseason watch list for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.

Carroll is a super senior inside linebacker from Lawrenceville, Ga., with 163 tackles and 17 tackles for loss over the last two seasons. He earned second-team All-Sun Belt honors last season with a team-leading 11.5 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks.

Gore, a junior from Nashville, Tenn., earned All-Sun Belt honors with 9.5 tackles for loss in 2021 while lining up at noseguard or defensive end.

Sumter, from Irmo, S.C., is a four-year starter and three-time All Sun Belt selection at center and a member of the 2022 Rimington Trophy watch list.

He is joined on the All-Sun Belt team by his offensive line mates Travis Glover, the senior tackle from Vienna, Ga., and Pat Bartlett, the super senior right guard from Newtown, Pa. Those are three of the Panthers' four returning starters on an offensive line that helped Georgia State to the No. 8 rushing attack in FBS with 226.4 yards per game in 2021.

Running behind that offensive line is Gregg, the super senior running back from Chatsworth, Ga., and returning All-Sun Belt honoree who was third in the league last season with 953 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named last week to the Doak Walker Award watch list.

Rounding out Georgia State's offensive honorees is seventh-year senior tight end Aubry Payne, a two-time all-conference selection who led the Panthers with seven touchdown receptions last fall.

Georgia State opens the 2022 season Sept. 3 at South Carolina. The Panthers' home opener at Center Parc Stadium is Saturday, Sept. 10 at 12 noon against North Carolina, the first Power 5 program to play at Georgia State. Season tickets for GSU's six-game home slate are on sale now by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com/Tix or calling 404-413-4020 during business hours.

2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
RB – Rasheen Ali, Marshall
RB – Camerun Peoples, App State
OL – Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina
OL – Dalton Cooper, Texas State
OL – Austin Stidham, Troy
OL – Malik Sumter, Georgia State
OL – Cooper Hodges, App State
TE – Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
WR – Ali Jennings, Old Dominion
WR – Kris Thornton, James Madison
WR – Tez Johnson, Troy

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Josaiah Stewart, Coastal Carolina
DL – Javon Solomon, Troy
DL – Zi'Yon Hill, Louisiana
DL – Will Choloh, Troy
LB – Carlton Martial, Troy
LB – Blake Carroll, Georgia State
LB – Kivon Bennett, Arkansas State
DB – Darrell Luter Jr., South Alabama
DB – D'Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina
DB – Antavious Lane, Georgia State
DB – Eric Garror, Louisiana
DB – Keith Gallmon, South Alabama

Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Seth Keller, Texas State
P – Rhys Byrns, Louisiana
RS – Johnnie Lang, Arkansas State
AP – Chris Smith, Louisiana

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Chase Brice, App State
RB – Nate Noel, App State
RB – Tucker Gregg, Georgia State
OL – Travis Glover, Georgia State
OL – Kyle Hergel, Texas State
OL – Damion Daley, App State
OL – Pat Bartlett, Georgia State
OL – Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion
TE – Aubry Payne, Georgia State
WR – Te'Vailance Hunt, Arkansas State
WR – Jalen Wayne, South Alabama
WR – Boogie Knight, ULM

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Richard Jubinor, Troy
DL – Thomas Gore, Georgia State
DL – Jerrod Clark, Coastal Carolina
DL – Justin Ellis, Georgia Southern
LB – Nick Hampton, App State
LB – Abraham Beauplan, Marshall
LB – Andre Jones, Louisiana
LB – Trey Cobb, App State
DB – Steven Jones Jr., App State
DB – Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern
DB – Steven Gilmore, Marshall
DB – TJ Harris, Troy

Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Calum Sutherland, ULM
P – Anthony Beck II, Georgia Southern
RS – Camron Harrell, Southern Miss
AP – Amare Jones, Georgia Southern

2022 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
East Division
1. App State – 94 Points (10)
2. Coastal Carolina – 77 Points (2)
3. Georgia State – 68 Points (1)
4. Marshall – 62 Points
5. Georgia Southern – 35 Points (1)
6. James Madison – 31 Points
7. Old Dominion – 25 Points

West Division
1. Louisiana – 95 Points (12)
2. South Alabama – 79 Points (2)
3. Troy – 76 Points
4. Texas State – 41 Points
5. Southern Miss – 40 Points
6. Arkansas State – 37 Points
7. ULM – 24 Points

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Players Mentioned

#64 Pat Bartlett: G; 6' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore

#42 Blake Carroll: ILB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#73 Travis Glover: T; 6' 6"; Redshirt Freshman

#59 Thomas Gore: DL; 6' 0"; Freshman

#26 Tucker Gregg: RB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#34 Antavious Lane: S; 5' 9"; Freshman

#88 Aubry Payne: TE; 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior

#62 Malik Sumter: C; 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore

#12 Chris Smith: S; 6' 2"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#64 Pat Bartlett
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore
: G

#42 Blake Carroll
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: ILB

#73 Travis Glover
: 6' 6"; Redshirt Freshman
: T

#59 Thomas Gore
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: DL

#26 Tucker Gregg
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: RB

#34 Antavious Lane
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: S

#88 Aubry Payne
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior
: TE

#62 Malik Sumter
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore
: C

#12 Chris Smith
: 6' 2"; Junior
: S