News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
BIRMINGHAM – Texas A&M senior guard Wade Taylor IV was named to the preseason All-SEC First Team by a select panel of both SEC and national media members, the league office announced on Monday.
Additionally, the Aggies matched their highest-ever preseason ranking ever at No. 13 in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll, which was also released on Monday. The No. 13 ranking matched Billy Gilllispie’s 2006-07 team that advanced to the Sweet 16 and finished the year at No. 9 in the AP poll.
The Aggies, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Buzz Williams, were one of nine SEC teams in the poll, joining No. 2 Alabama, No. 11 Auburn, No. 12 Tennessee, No. 16 Arkansas, No. 19 Texas, No. 21 Florida, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 24 Ole Miss.
Taylor, from Dallas, is no stranger to the all-league squad as the only Aggie to earn end-of-season first-team All-SEC honors twice. Also a two-time member of the SEC All-Tournament team, Taylor enters his final season in the maroon and white with 13 season school records already on his resume and more than 30 career school and SEC Tournament standards within range.
On his way to first-team All-SEC and NABC All-District honors last season, the do-it-all Taylor was the conference’s No. 3 scorer with 687 points while ranking in the top 10 in assists, steals, 3-pointers, free throws and FT percentage and minutes played.
Taylor IV is the lone DI player to log 500+ points, 100+ assists and 60+ steals the past two seasons.
The media vote predicted the Aggies finishing fifth in the SEC standings in 2024-25. 2024 Final Four participant Alabama was projected to win the regular season crown, while the 2024 tournament champion Auburn was expected to place second and the 2024 regular season winners, Tennessee, were picked third.
Preseason Media Poll
First Team All-SEC
Mark Sears – Alabama
Johni Broome – Auburn
Walter Clayton Jr. – Florida
Zakai Zeigler – Tennessee
Wade Taylor IV – Texas A&M
Second Team All-SEC
Grant Nelson – Alabama
Jonas Aidoo – Arkansas
Johnell Davis – Arkansas
Matthew Murrell – Ole Miss
Josh Hubbard – Mississippi State
Third Team All-SEC
Chad Baker-Mazara – Auburn
Alex Condon – Florida
Jaxson Robinson – Kentucky
Collin Murray-Boyles – South Carolina
Tramon Mark – Texas
SEC Player of the Year
Mark Sears – Alabama
Predicted Order Of Finish
1. Alabama
2. Auburn
3. Tennessee
4. Arkansas
5. Texas A&M
6. Florida
7. Texas
8. Kentucky
9. Ole Miss
10. Mississippi State
11. South Carolina
12. Georgia
13. Missouri
14. LSU
15. Oklahoma
16. Vanderbilt