Raheim “Rocket” Sanders and Kyle Kennard have made history by being named to the 2024 Division I Academic All-America® first team unit by the College Sports Communicators (CSC). Sanders, a senior from Rockledge, Fla., earned his degree in recreation and sport management with a 3.88 GPA at the University of Arkansas before attending South Carolina. He received multiple awards for his performance on the field, leading the Gamecocks in rushing and receiving yards. Kennard, an Edge rusher from Atlanta, Ga., graduated from South Carolina with a degree in services management and a 3.64 GPA. He had a stellar season in 2024, winning the prestigious Bronko Nagurski Trophy, being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and earning multiple All-America selections. Both Sanders and Kennard played pivotal roles in leading the Gamecocks to a 9-4 record in 2024.
Sanders and Kennard are the first Gamecock football players to earn first-team Academic All-America® honors since Joe Reaves in 1991. South Carolina has a history of producing Academic All-Americans, including Dalton Wilson in 2011 and Mark Fryer in the late 1980s. The duo’s exceptional academic and athletic achievements reflect the strong culture of excellence within the South Carolina football program. Congratulations to Raheim Sanders and Kyle Kennard for their well-deserved recognition as Academic All-Americans.
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