Cincinnati senior defensive end Antwan Peek and senior wide receiver LaDaris Vann were named to the preseason All-Conference USA squad in voting by the league's coaches. The awards were announced Monday at media day in Memphis, Tenn.

PRESEASON POLL

(As Selected by C-USA Coaches)   1. Louisville (7) 96   2. Southern Miss (3) 91   3. East Carolina 71   4. TCU 68   5. Cincinnati 65   6. Memphis 48   7. UAB 42   8. Tulane 28   9. Houston 24   10. Army 17

        UC was picked to finish fifth in the 10-team league, good enough to earn one of the five guaranteed bowl slots for C-USA teams.

        Defending champion Louisville edged Southern Miss by five votes as the favorite to win the 2002 Conference USA title.

        Peek, a first team All-C-USA choice in 2001, is coming off a record-setting junior campaign. He led UC linemen with 60 tackles while setting school records for quarterback sacks in a game (four vs. Louisiana-Monroe), season (12.5) and career (21).

        Peek was the recipient of the team's John Pease award as the top defensive lineman. He ranked fourth in the nation in quarterback sacks, fifth with five forced fumbles and 10th with 22 tackles for a loss.

        Vann led C-USA and finished 15th nationally with 73 catches last season. He also became UC's career receiving leader with 133.

        Vann ranked second in the league and 31st in the nation with 902 receiving yards, posting four 100-yard receiving games during the year. He enters his senior season having caught a pass in all 32 games, two short of the school record.

        UC returns 16 starters from a 7-5 squad that finished second in Conference USA at 5-2 and made a second straight Motor City Bowl appearance.

        The Bearcats open with three straight home games — Sept. 2 (Labor Day) against TCU, Sept. 14 against West Virginia and Sept. 21 against Ohio State at Paul Brown Stadium.

        All-Conference USA Team

        Offense
        QB Dave Ragone, Louisville
        RB Mewelde Moore, Tulane
        RB Derrick Nix, Southern Miss
        OL Jeremy Bridges, Southern Miss
        OL Aaron Burger, Army
        OL Andy Galloway, UAB
        OL Jimond Pugh, Memphis
        OL Brian Rimpf, East Carolina
        WR LaDaris Vann, Cincinnati
        WR Roydell Williams, Tulane
        TE Ronnie Ghent, Louisville

        Defense
       DL Terrell Paul, Southern Miss
        DL Antwan Peek, Cincinnati
       DL Chad Pugh, TCU
        DL Dewayne White, Louisville
        LB Rod Davis, Southern Miss
        LB LaMarcus McDonald, TCU
        LB John Williamson, East Carolina
        DB Greg Brooks, Southern Miss
        DB Curry Burns, Louisville
        DB Anthony Floyd, Louisville
        DB Jason Goss, TCU
        DB Hanik Milligan, Houston

        Special Teams
       K Seth Marler, Tulane
        P Jarad Preston, East Carolina
        KR Marvin Townes, East Carolina
        PR Willie Quinnie, UAB

UC's Peek, Vann picked for preseason honor

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