BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Defending SEC and national champion Florida Gators had a league-high 16 representatives on the 2009 All-Southeastern Conference Coaches’ Football Team, while LSU had 10 total selections and defending Western Division Champion Alabama and Georgia had nine each, the league office announced on Thursday.

Florida led the way with eight players selected on the first team while Alabama had six and LSU had three.

Nine of the 12 SEC schools had a member on the first-team All-SEC squad. Each SEC school had at least two student-athletes on either the first-, second- or third-team.

Ole Miss and Tennessee had seven total members on the squads, while Kentucky had six, Vanderbilt five, South Carolina and Arkansas four each, Auburn three and Mississippi State two.

There were only three unanimous selections to this year’s All-SEC pre-season squad – LSU offensive lineman Ciron Black, Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones and Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players, thus a unanimous selection earns 11 of 12 first-team votes.

There are 10 first-team pre-season selections that were on last year’s first-team coaches All-SEC post-season team. Those include: QB Tim Tebow (Florida), RB Charles Scott (LSU), RS Brandon James (Florida), DL Terrence Cody (Alabama), LB Rolando McClain (Alabama), LB Brandon Spikes (Florida), LB Rennie Curran (Georgia), LB Eric Norwood (South Carolina), DB Eric Berry (Tennessee) and DB Trevard Lindley (Kentucky).

The All-SEC first-team squad had 15 seniors and 10 underclassmen, including eight juniors and two sophomores. The second-team had 18 seniors, seven juniors and three sophomores. The third-team had 16 seniors, eight juniors and five sophomores.

This marks the sixth straight year of the SEC Coaches Pre-Season All-SEC Team. The team is announced each year in advance of the SEC Football Media Days. This year, the event will be held next week, Wednesday through Friday, at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Ala.

Ole Miss and Mississippi State All-SEC picks

Ole Miss

John Jerry, OL, 1st team offense

Greg Hardy, DL, 1st team defense

Dexter McCluster, WR, 2nd team offense

Jevan Snead, QB, 2nd team offense

Shay Hodge, WR, 3rd team offense

Marcus Tillman, DL, 3rd team defense

Joshua Shene, K, 3rd team specialist

Mississippi State

Anthony Dixon, RB, 2nd team offense

Jamar Chaney, LB, 3rd team defense