SEC basketball: Florida's Colin Castleton named preseason first-team

Florida men's basketball senior Colin Castleton has received preseason first-team All-Southeastern Conference recognition from media members covering the league.

The 6-foot-11 senior returns for his second season with the Gators after a breakout 2020-21 campaign in which he averaged 12.4 points and 6.4 rebounds on the way to second-team All-SEC honors from the coaches.

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Castleton established himself as one of the league's top shot-blockers last season, averaging 2.25 swats per game, marking a top-five single-season performance in Florida history. During one six-game stretch last season, the Deland native rolled up 28 blocked shots (4.7 average), including an eight-block game vs. Ole Miss.

Florida was also picked to finish seventh in the SEC in the preseason poll, released Tuesday.

The Gators tip off their regular season Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m., hosting Elon at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

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