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Cincinnati LB Ivan Pace Jr. becomes first unanimous All-American in program history

keith jenkins, cincinnati enquirer
·2 min read

University of Cincinnati senior linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. is the first unanimous All-American in the 135-year history of the Bearcats football program.

Pace on Wednesday earned 2022 first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association, giving the 6-foot, 235-pound Colerain High School product first-team accolades from all five of the NCAA-recognized All-America organizations.

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Pace also received first-team honors from the Associated Press, Walter Camp Foundation, Football Writers Association of America and Sporting News.

“I’m honored and humbled to be named a unanimous All-American," Pace said. "All credit goes to my teammates and coaches. I’ve grown so much this year. It’s been an incredible experience, getting to play for my hometown team in front of all of my friends and family. I can’t wait to play in one more game this season at the Fenway Bowl this weekend.”

CBS Sports and Pro Football Focus also tabbed the Miami University transfer as a first-team All-American.

Pace, who was named the 2022 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, joins cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner (2021), punter Kevin Huber (2007-08) and kicker Jonathan Ruffin (2000) as the only consensus All-Americans in program history.

Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0) was named first-team All-American Athletic Conference this season and earned AAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0) was named first-team All-American Athletic Conference this season and earned AAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Pace enters Saturday's Fenway Bowl against Louisville (11 a.m. on ESPN) with 120 tackles (10th in FBS), 19.5 tackles for loss (third in FBS) and nine sacks (14th in FBS). Pace, along with Cincinnati tight end Leonard Taylor, has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl on Feb. 2 in Las Vegas.

Pace was a finalist for both the Butkus Award (college football's top linebacker) and the Chuck Bednarik Award (college football's Defensive Player of the Year) this season. Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell won the Butkus Award, while Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. took home the Bednarik Award.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati football: Pace is Bearcats' first unanimous All-American