Syracuse’s Andre Szmyt, Andre Cisco make AP All-America Team

Under Dino Babers, it’s now become commonplace for the Syracuse Orange football program to collect some national honors at the end of the season. And after going 9-3, 2018 ended up being no different.

The AP All-America team was announced on Monday, including SU kicker Andre Szmyt on the first-team and safety Andre Cisco on the third-team. Szmyt becomes the first Orange player to earn first-team All-America honors since Dwight Freeney was a unanimous selection in 2001.

This also makes the third straight season Syracuse players have been named to the first-, second- or third-team AP All-American squads. Amba Etta-Tawo started the tradition in 2016 with a third-team selection, and Steve Ishmael did the same last year. Despite a record-setting offense this year though, it was the defense and special teams that received the honors this time around.

As you know by now, Szmyt had a pretty amazing story this year. Starting the year as a walk-on, he earned a scholarship while hitting 28 of 32 field goals and 57 extra points (141 total points was a Syracuse and ACC record). As a result, he won the Lou Groza Award for the best kicker in college football.

Cisco and Szmyt were two of three freshmen to make any All-America team (along with Purdue receiver Rondale Moore). Going into bowl season, Cisco is tied for the FBS lead in interceptions, with seven.

Congrats to both players, and hopefully we’ll be adding even more Andres in the future.