Castleton earns All-SEC nod, Gators picked seventh by media

Gators senior forward Colin Castleton was named to the media’s Preseason All-SEC First Team on Tuesday morning. Additionally, Florida was picked to finish seventh in the SEC.

Castleton averaged 12.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season, his first in a Florida uniform after he transferred in from Michigan. He was voted to the Coaches’ All-SEC Second Team following the season.

He also established himself as one of the top shot-blockers in the league, swatting away 2.25 shots per game, one of the five best single-season marks in program history. He blocked eight shots in a game against Ole Miss.

He played a key role in the Gators’ opening round win in the NCAA Tournament against Virginia Tech, scoring 19 points, pulling down 14 rebounds, blocking three shots and dishing two assists.

Here is the complete media preseason All-SEC Team and the projected order of finish:

First Team All-SEC

Jaden Shackelford – Alabama
Jahvon Quinerly – Alabama
Colin Castleton – Florida
Sahvir Wheeler – Kentucky
Iverson Molinar – Mississippi State
Scotty Pippen Jr. – Vanderbilt

Second Team All-SEC

Davonte Davis – Arkansas
Jabari Smith – Auburn
Keion Brooks Jr. – Kentucky
Kellan Grady – Kentucky
Oscar Tshiebwe – Kentucky
Darius Days – LSU

SEC Player of the Year

Scotty Pippen Jr. – Vanderbilt

Preseason Media Poll

1. Kentucky
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Tennessee
5. Auburn
6. LSU
7. Florida
8. Mississippi State
9. Ole Miss
10. Missouri
11. South Carolina
12. Texas A&M
13. Vanderbilt
14. Georgia

Ethan Hughes
Ethan was born in Gainesville and has lived in the Starke, Florida, area his entire life. He played basketball for five years and knew he wanted to be a sportswriter when he was in middle school. He’s attended countless Gators athletic events since his early childhood, with baseball being his favorite sport to attend. He’s a proud 2019 graduate of the University of Florida and a 2017 graduate of Santa Fe College. He interned with the University Athletic Association’s communications department for 1 ½ years as a student and also wrote for InsideTheGators.com for two years before joining Gator Country in 2021. He is a long-suffering fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars. You can follow him on Twitter @ethanhughes97.