NASHVILLE – Five Commodores earned postseason All-Southeastern Conference recognition from Athlon Sports, the publication announced Tuesday.
Running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn and cornerback Joejuan Williams were named to Athlon’s second-team All-SEC unit. Wide receiver Kalija Lipscomb, tight end Jared Pinkney and offensive lineman Bruno Reagan were listed as third-team All-SEC recipients.
Vaughn, a redshirt junior who is enjoying his first year of competition at Vanderbilt after transferring from Illinois, was recognized as the SEC Breakout Player of the Year by Athlon Sports.
A product of Nashville, Vaughn rushed for 1,001 yards and 10 touchdowns. Vaughn also topped the league’s leading rushers by averaging 7.0 yards per carry. He also became one of the conference’s most explosive players, registering seven carries of more than 42 yards, including scoring rushes of 78 yards against Tennessee State, 65 yards against Missouri and 63 yards against the Razorbacks.
Williams, also from Nashville, ranked among the SEC leaders in several pass defense categories. Williams enters the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl as the SEC leader with 15 passes defended and second with four interceptions.
Lipscomb, from New Orleans, has put together a sensational receiving year. He has 81 receptions, the fifth highest single-season total in team history, good for 886 yards and nine touchdowns. He also ranks among the Vanderbilt all-time leaders with 145 receptions, 1,815 receiving yards and 19 touchdown receptions.
Pinkney has a career-high 45 catches this year, good for 698 yards and seven touchdowns. Pinkney’s yardage total is the highest by a Vanderbilt tight end since Chuck Scott had 975 yards on 54 catches in 1984. A two-time Mackey Award weekly recipient this year, Pinkney enters the Texas Bowl with 89 career catches, 1,251 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Reagan, from Clarksville, Tenn., will earn his 40th consecutive career start in the Texas Bowl. He ranks among the SEC’s most versatile interior lineman, having started at center and guard.
The Commodores, coming off regular-season wins over Ole Miss and Tennessee to earn bowl eligibility, will face 6-6 Baylor from the Big 12 Conference in the Texas Bowl, scheduled Dec. 27 at NRG Stadium in Houston. Kickoff is 8 p.m. CT. Tickets are available.
