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GREENSBORO, N.C. -
Following a regular season which saw the Terrapins improve their win total by six games, six Maryland football players earned spots on the 2010 All-ACC team, the Atlantic Coast Conference Sports Media Association (ACSMA) announced Monday.
Headlined by four first-team All-ACC honorees in wide receiver Torrey Smith, punt returner Tony Logan, linebacker Alex Wujciak and safety Kenny Tate, the Terps had their most all-conference players since 2008 when they had nine.
Sophomore defensive tackle Joe Vellano was voted to the second team, while senior offensive lineman Paul Pinegar was an honorable mention selection.
The four first team selections were tied for the most with Clemson. The five first and second team choices were tied for third with Clemson. Virginia Tech (11) and Miami (9) led the way.
The Terps haven't had as many as four first team all-league choices since the 2003 season (also four).
Wujciak, the fourth-leading tackler in the ACC (9.3 per game) and third among active FBS players in career tackles (10.2 pg), was voted All-ACC for the third time in his career (first team in 2009; second team in 2008). He is the first Terp to earn all-conference three years in a row since D'Qwell Jackson (2003-05).
Smith, a junior, is on the team for the second straight year (second team in 2009) after posting 65 receptions (fifth in school history) for 1,065 yards (second in Maryland history). He posted a school record 12 touchdown receptions, set the Maryland all-purpose yardage record (5,183) and the ACC kickoff return yards mark (2,909).
The other four were named to the team for the first time.
Tate had a tremendous all-around season. The junior is sixth in the ACC in tackles (7.8 per game), first in forced fumbles (0.33 pg) and tied for 12th in interceptions (0.25 pg).
Logan had a pair of punt returns for touchdowns, just the third Terp player with two or more in a season. The junior is averaging 18.8 yards per return which ranks first in the ACC and third in the FBS. His 563 yards is the second-highest in both ACC and school history (Steve Suter had 771 in 2002).
Pinegar has been one of the most versatile players in the country the last three seasons. He has started 24 consecutive games along the offensive line at four different positions, including six at both center and right tackle this season.
After seeing limited action as a redshirt freshman in 2009, Vellano emerged in the spring and became a fixture in the middle of the defensive line. He posted 59 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss (first on the team) and 5.0 sacks (first on the team).
The Terps, 8-4 this season after a 2-10 mark in 2009, reached bowl eligibility for the seventh time in head coach Ralph Friedgen's 10 seasons, and they await a decision Sunday regarding their bowl destination.
Maryland's six-win improvement is currently second in the nation behind Miami (Ohio) which has posted a seven-game increase in the win column.
For the complete release from the ACC, click here.
