By Packy Moore
CINCINNATI – Six members of the University of Cincinnati football team have been selected to Phil Steele’s preseason All-Big 12 team.
Defensive lineman Dontay Corleone and offensive lineman Luke Kandra were both picked to the first team. Offensive lineman Dartanyan Tinsley (second team), punter Mason Fletcher (second team), kicker Carter Brown (third team), and wide receiver Xzavier Henderson (fourth team) all earned preseason all-conference honors as well.
Corleone, Fletcher, and Kandra were also Phil Steele preseason all-conference selections a year ago.
Corleone, who was also named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy preseason watch list, collected 39 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, and one forced fumble this past season for the Bearcats, earning him All-Big 12 honors.
Kandra was named an All-American last year by the Associated Press and Walter Camp, and was an All-Big 12 honoree. He was ranked by Pro Football Focus as the second-best run blocking guard with a grade of 82.1, and the third-ranked Power Five guard (81.8).
Fletcher is a former All-American and two-time all-conference punter who ranked fourth in the Big 12 last season in punting (43.0). He was one of two Big 12 punters to not recorded a touchback and also pinned 23 punts inside the 20-yard line.
Tinsley started all 12 games at left guard last year and helped lead the way for UC’s rushing attack that ranked fifth in the nation (217.1 ypg). His PFF grade of 68.5 ranked seventh among Big 12 guards.
Brown was UC’s starting placekicker in 2023 and connected on 15-of-19 field goals and 30-of-30 PATs. He was 5-of-6 on field goals over 40 yards and made a career-long 54-yard field goal vs. Oklahoma, which was the longest field goal by a Bearcat since 2008. Brown was 9-for-9 on PATs vs. EKU, tied for the second-most extra points in a single game in school history.
Henderson was Cincinnati’s leading receiver in 2023 and earned All-Big 12 honors in his first year with the Bearcats. He totaled 994 all-purpose yards, including 782 receiving yards on 58 catches while hauling in three touchdowns. Henderson started all 11 games that he played in and recorded three 100-yard receiving efforts.
// ABOUT CINCINNATI ATHLETICS
The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics competes at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics with the vision to reach Next Level Success for all 18 varsity teams and more than 450 student-athletes. The Bearcats have a proud athletics history, winning eight national championships and 118 conference titles, and entered a new era as a member of the Big 12 in 2023.
UC Athletics’ mission is to connect our community, enhance our university and impact the lives of student-athletes as they prepare to change the world on and off the field.
For more information visit gobearcats.com.
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