Virginia Punter Daniel Sparks Named to Preseason All-ACC Football Team

An All-ACC Second Team selection in 2022, Sparks is projected to be the conference's top punter this season

Matt Newton | Aug 2, 2023

Virginia Punter Daniel Sparks Named to Preseason All-ACC Football Team /

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Virginia Cavaliers

The 2023 Preseason All-ACC Football Team was announced on Wednesday and Virginia's lone selection on the team was senior punter Daniel Sparks. An All-ACC Second Team selection in 2022, Sparks is projected to be the conference's top punter this season.

In his first season at UVA after transferring from Minnesota, Sparks led the ACC and was eighth in the country with an average of 45.9 yards per punt, a mark which also matched Virginia's single-season punting average record. Sparks became the first Cavalier to notch three punts of at least 60 yards in a single game, which included a season-long 63-yarder against Pittsburgh in the final game of the season. At the end of the year, Sparks was also voted one of five team captains by his teammates.

2023 Preseason All-ACC Football Team

QB: Drake Maye, North Carolina (107)
RB: Will Shipley, Clemson (169)
RB: Trey Benson, Florida State (125)
WR: Johnny Wilson, Florida State (117)
WR: Tez Walker, North Carolina (51)
WR: Jalon Calhoun, Duke (49)
TE: Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse (89)
AP: Will Shipley, Clemson (105)
OT: Graham Barton, Duke (110)
OT: Matt Goncalves, Pitt (58)
OG: Christian Mahogany, Boston College (101)
OG: Javion Cohen, Miami (69)
C: Bryan Hudson, Louisville (56)

DE: Jared Verse, Florida State (136)
DE: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College (58)
DT: Tyler Davis, Clemson (124)
DT: DeWayne Carter, Duke (97)
LB: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson (132)
LB: Cedric Gray, North Carolina (109)
LB: Barrett Carter, Clemson (87)
CB: Fentrell Cypress II, Florida State (88)
CB: Aydan White, NC State (85)
S: Kam Kinchens, Miami (117)
S: Andrew Mukuba, Clemson (46)

PK: Andres Borregales, Miami (70)
P: Daniel Sparks, Virginia (54)
SP: Will Shipley, Clemson (68)

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Published Aug 2, 2023

MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.