Coaches tab Varnado Preseason All-SEC

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Two weeks ago, media members named Mississippi State senior forward Jarvis Varnado preseason first-team All-SEC. On Monday afternoon, the 12 league coaches followed suit.

The 6-foot-9 standout from Brownsville, Tenn., was one of six unanimous picks, joining South Carolina's Deven Downey, LSU's Tasmin Mitchell, Kentucky's Patrick Patterson, Tennessee's Tyler Smith and Ole Miss' Terrico White. In all, a total of 27 different players received votes, and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

"It's an honor that all the coaches voted for me," he said. "To be on that list means a lot, because there are a lot of great players. It's a privilege."

The latest recognition is just one of many honors for Varnado. Last week, he was one of 50 players named to the Naismith preseason watch list after being tabbed to the John R. Wooden Award watch list in early October.

"It makes you want to go out and play hard, because you don't want to letdown all the people who voted for you," he said.

In the Bulldogs' exhibition opener against Oklahoma City this past weekend, Varnado scored 8 points, collected 11 rebounds and blocked 4 shots in leading MSU to a convincing 82-54 victory.

Varnado and the rest of his teammates return to action at 2 p.m. on Saturday against Georgetown (Ky.) in the final tune-up before the Nov. 13 season opener against Rider (8 p.m.) at Humphrey Coliseum.

Admission to Saturday's tilt is free.

FIRST TEAM ALL-SEC

Devan Downey, South Carolina# G 5-9 175 Sr. Chester, S.C.

Tasmin Mitchell, LSU# F 6-7 235 Sr. Denham Springs, La.

A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt C 6-11 250 Jr. Sydney, Australia

Patrick Patterson, Kentucky# F 6-9 235 Jr. Huntington, W.Va.

Tyler Smith, Tennessee# G/F 6-7 215 Sr. Pulaski, Tenn.

Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State# F 6-9 230 Sr. Brownsville, Tenn.

Michael Washington, Arkansas F 6-9 239 Sr. McGehee, Ark.

Terrico White, Ole Miss# G 6-5 211 So. Memphis, Tenn.

SECOND TEAM ALL-SEC

Dominique Archie, South Carolina F 6-7 200 Sr. Augusta, Ga.

Wayne Chism, Tennessee F/C 6-9 246 Sr. Jackson, Tenn.

JaMychal Green, Alabama F 6-9 220 So. Montgomery, Ala.

DeWayne Reed, Auburn G 6-1 175 Sr. Houston, Texas

Trey Thompkins, Georgia F 6-10 247 So. Lithonia, Ga.

Alex Tyus, Florida F 6-8 220 Jr. St. Louis, Mo.

John Wall, Kentucky G 6-4 195 Fr. Raleigh, N.C.

Chris Warren, Ole Miss G 5-10 165 Jr. Orlando, Fla.