This month, Newberry College senior free safety Ron Parker has been named a first team preseason All-American by two publications in anticipation of the 2010 season.

Both Lindy’s and the Sporting News preseason football magazines have named the St. Helena Island, native to his first two career preseason All-American teams.

Parker was named to three postseason All-American teams following a stellar junior campaign in 2009, in which he was named the South Atlantic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.

He led Newberry and was second in the SAC with 8.3 stops per game. He led the SAC in interceptions with six picks and added seven pass breakups for a total of 13 passes defended, which was second most in the SAC.

He tied for 11th in Division II in interceptions and tied for 68th in Division II in tackles per game.

He also forced two fumbles and made 5.5 tackles for loss and was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception for the game-winning touchdown at Wingate.

He was named a first team All-American by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette and a second team All-American by DAKTRONICS and D2Football.com.

He was a first team all-Super Region Two selection by DAKTRONICS and was a first team all-South Atlantic Conference player. He was named an all-South Carolina player by The State newspaper and the Orangeburg Touchdown Club.

Newberry’s season begins on September 4, when the Scarlet and Gray welcome Livingstone College to Setzler Field for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.

The Blue Bears’ defensive back Akeen Deloatch was named a preseason second team All-American on the Lindy’s listing.