Per GoBearcats:
University of Cincinnati senior linebacker Ivan Pace, Jr. collected All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) on Wednesday giving him First Team accolades from all five NCAA-recognized All-America organizations. He is now the first-ever unanimous All-American in the 135-year history of Cincinnati football.
He joins Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (2021), Kevin Huber (2007, 2008) and Jonathan Ruffin (2000) as the only Bearcats to earn consensus All-America status.
In addition to his AFCA honor on Wednesday, Pace Jr. was named a First Team All-American by the Associated Press, Walter Camp Foundation, FWAA and Sporting News.
The Cincinnati native and Colerain High School product was a finalist for the Bednarik and Butkus Awards and was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Pace Jr. capped the 2022 season by ranking as the nation’s highest-graded linebacker (93.1) according to Pro Football Focus.
He tallied 120 tackles to go along with 19.5 TFLs and 9.0 sacks in 2022, while leading a defense that ranked fifth nationally in yards per play allowed (4.52).
His 19.5 TFLs rank third in the nation, while his 120 stops are the 10th-most in the country and his nine sacks sit 14th.
Pace Jr. will the lead the Bearcats at Saturday’s Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Cincinnati will look to win 10 games for just the 10th time in school history against Louisville at 11 a.m. on ESPN.
Pace Jr. 2022 Honors
Unanimous All-American (first in school history)
Consensus All-American (fourth player, fifth selection in school history)
AFCA First Team All-American
AP First Team All-American
Sporting News First Team All-American
FWAA First Team All-American
Walter Camp First Team All-American
CBS Sports First Team All-American
PFF First Team All-American
AAC Defensive Player of the Year
All-AAC First Team
Butkus Award Finalist
Bednarik Award Finalist
PFF’s Defensive Player of the Year
PFF’s Linebacker of the Year
