Cam Ward Named Preseason POY, 5 Miami football Players first-team All-ACC

Quarterback Cam Ward was named the preseason ACC Player of the Year and he and his teammates wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, defensive end Rueben Bain, Jr., linebacker Francisco Mauigoa and kicker Andy Borregales were all named first-team All-ACC as released by the conference on Thursday.

Miami led all ACC teams with five selections. Florida St had four preseason first-team All-ACC Players and Clemson had three. Six programs had two players named preseason All-ACC and three had one. The ACC added California, Stanford and SMU beginning this season.

Ward won the voting for ACC Player of the Year with 71 votes. North Carolina running back Omarrion Hampton was the runner-up with 38 votes. Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter led all players on the All-ACC preseason first-team with 129 votes. Carter was followed by North Carolina State wide receiver Kevin “KC” Concepcion with 119 votes.

Ward finished seventh on the All-ACC team with 85 votes. Restrepo paced Miami players on the preseason All-ACC first-team with 93 votes, kicker Andy Borregales was second with 92 votes and Ward was third. Mauigoa finished with 72 votes and Bain had 49.

Borregales and Restrepo earned first-team preseason All-ACC after being named first-team All-Conference in 2023. Bain was the 2023 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. The ACC does not name second or third teams or honorable mention for the preseason. There were several other Miami candidates for preseason All-ACC.

Running back Damien Martinez and offensive tackles Francis Mauigoa and Jalen Rivers were among the other Miami players who were probably in consideration for preseason All-ACC. Rivers was named second-team All-ACC in 2023. Mauigoa was named 2023 honorable mention All-ACC.

Martinez who transferred to Miami from Oregon State during the off-season was named All Pac-12 in 2022 and 2023. Miami will open the season on August 31 at Florida. No Florida players were named first-team All-SEC. Several Gators were named second and third-team preseason All-SEC.