SWAC Release and Full Team / Alabama A&M earned nine spots on the 2009 All-SWAC football teams, announced Wednesday by the league office. The nine selections ties Prairie View for the top number of placements on the teams. Four Bulldogs earned first-team honors, including running back Ulysses Banks, wide receiver Thomas Harris, defensive end Jeremy Maddox, and offensive lineman Xavier Manuel. Five Bulldogs earned second-team honors, including placekicker Jeremy Licea, linebacker Afu Okosun, defensive tackle Frank Kearse, defensive back Korey Morrison, and offensive lineman Anquez Jackson.
For Banks, who leads the league in rushing with 1,014 yards, it his third time on the SWAC first-team. In 2006, he was the nation's top kick returner and earned SWAC Freshman of the Year honors. As a sophomore he was a first-team running back.
Maddox and Manuel are each making their second appearances on the first-team selections. Maddox leads the nation in sacks with 12.0, and Manuel is a staple in one of the top offensive lines in the conference. Harris was a second-team selection a year ago and moves to the first-team in 2009.
Licea was a first-team selection last season, and Okosun, Kearse, Morrison, and Jackson are making their first all-conference appearances.