UK Men & Women picked to win SEC

Coming off the 2012 National Championship, John Calipari has a fresh new batch of young freshman to lead the charge in the SEC. At this point, John Calipari thinks that every media outlet that picks his ‘Cats to win anything is crazy. However, the ‘Cats received 17 out of the 24 first place votes. Florida was picked 2nd, followed by one of the SEC”s newest additions in the Missouri Tigers. Also in Columbia, the Tigers’ Phil Pressey was picked to be the Preseason Player of the Year in the conference. Freshman center Nerlens Noel was picked on the SEC 1st team, while  fellow freshman Alex Poythress makes an appearance on the SEC’s All 2nd team. Here are the full lists picked by the media:

First Team All-SEC
BJ Young – Arkansas, G, 6-3, 180, So., St. Louis, Mo.
Kenny Boynton – Florida, G, 6-2, 190, Sr., Pompano Beach, Fla.
Nerlens Noel – Kentucky, F, 6-10, 228, Fr.,            Everett, Mass.
Phil Pressey – Missouri, G, 5-11, 175, Jr., Dallas, Texas
Jarnell Stokes – Tennessee, F, 6-8, 270, So., Memphis, Tenn.

Second Team All-SEC
Marshawn Powell – Arkansas, F, 6-7, 240, Jr., Newport News, Va.
Patric Young – Florida, C, 6-9, 249, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – Georgia, G, 6-5, 205, So., Greenville, Ga.
Alex Poythress – Kentucky, F, 6-7, 239, Fr., Clarksville, Tenn.
Michael Dixon, Jr. – Missouri, G, 6-1, 190, Sr., Kansas City, Mo.
Jeronne Maymon – Tennessee, F, 6-7, 260, Sr., Madison, Wis.

As for the women, we all know they can dance. And now the media has them tabbed to dance their way to another SEC Championship. The defending SEC Champs return the SEC Player of the Year in A’dia Mathies, the defending SEC Freshman of the Year in Bria Gross, and NCAA Tournament Kingston Regional MVP in Samarie Walker. After making an Elite 8 appearance, the expectations this year are even higher for Matthew Mitchell’s UK Hoops team. Many feel that this group of girls could be Final Four bound. Adi’a Mathies makes appearances as the overwhelming pick to repeat as SEC Player of the Year and 1st Team All-SEC. Samarie Walker makes an appearance of her own on the 2nd team.  The Lady ‘Cats received 20 out of 26 first place votes to win the SEC. Here is the full list:

First-Team
Jennifer George, Florida
Anne Marie Armstrong, Georgia
A’dia Mathies, Kentukcy
Kelsey Bone, Texas A&M
Christina Foggie, Vanderbilt

Second-Team
Sarah Watkins, Arkansas
Jasmine Hassell, Georgia
Samarie Walker, Kentucky
Ieasia Walker, South Carolina
Meighan Simmons, Tennessee

With both Kentucky teams represented at the highest level, it should be an exciting year for basketball in the Bluegrass State. With the possibilities of having both the women and men making Final Four appearances, expectations are on high. Even though high expectations come with the territory at Kentucky, the fulfilling of those expectations will never come easy. Go Big Blue!