NEW ORLEANS – Three members of the University of South Alabama football program have been named to the preseason all-Sun Belt Conference teams announced by the league office on Thursday.

Rising seniors Tyree Turner and Tra Minter were both selected preseason first-team all-conference on the defensive line and as a return specialist, respectively, with rising junior Kawaan Baker chosen preseason second-team wide receiver.

Turner has been named preseason first-team all-Sun Belt by four publications this summer — Phil Steele Publications, Athlon Sports, Lindy's and Street & Smith's — after receiving second-team all-league accolades a year ago.  As a junior, the Stockbridge, Ga., resident posted 51 total stops including 10 for loss with four sacks to go along with three additional quarterback pressures, ending the campaign ranked among the top 10 in the conference in tackles behind the line per game.  Turner was credited with a season-best seven stops including two tackles for loss in the Jaguars' win over Texas State, and he also made seven stops highlighted by a sack against both Louisiana Tech in the season opener and ULM on Homecoming weekend.

A native of Ellaville, Ga., Minter was chosen second-team all-league as both as a return specialist and all-purpose back in 2018, and thus far this summer has been named second-team preseason All-America by The Sporting News while earning preseason all-Sun Belt recognition as a return specialist or all-purpose back from Phil Steele Publications, Athlon Sports and Lindy's.  Last season, he stood third in the conference with an average of 24.48 yards per kick return and averaged 15.2 yards per punt return, earning SBC Special Teams Player-of-the-Week honors in October after returning a punt 75 yards for a score while recording 161 total return yards in a win over Alabama State.  Minter paced the league and was among the top 10 nationally with 150.25 all-purpose yards per game a year ago.

Baker led the team in scoring with 78 points, was second on the squad in rushing and receiving yards and receptions, and finished third with 839 all-purpose yards to be named honorable mention all-Sun Belt last fall.  A preseason second-team all-conference selection by Phil Steele Publications, Athlon Sports and Lindy's, he hauled in 33 receptions for 494 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 251 yards and nine scores a season ago.  The Atlanta, Ga., native caught a career-high-tying four passes against Oklahoma State, Memphis, Appalachian State and Louisiana, and he scored both on runs and receptions in matchups with OSU, UofM and Louisiana Tech in the Jags' 2018 opener.

The Jaguars will begin the season with a nationally-televised contest at Nebraska on Saturday, Aug. 31, with kickoff scheduled for 11 a.m. (CDT) on ESPN.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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