University of Kentucky tight end Jacob Tamme has been named the Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in a vote of the league coaches, the SEC Office announced Wednesday.
This marks the second-consecutive season that a Wildcat has been chosen SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as Tamme joins 2006 winner Hayden Lane. It is the first time in the history of the award that one school has had back-to-back winners.
Tamme (Danville, Ky.) completed his bachelor?s degree in only three years in Integrated Strategic Communications with a 3.82 GPA. He is now in his second year of study for his Master?s in Business Administration and has a 3.83 graduate school GPA.
On the field, Tamme has been named first-team All-SEC two years in a row. He has 53 receptions for 584 yards and five touchdowns this season. With 130 career catches, he is Kentucky?s all-time leading pass-receiving tight end. He has been a clutch receiver for the Wildcats, with key TD catches in the wins over Louisville and LSU. He also set up the game-winning touchdown at Vanderbilt with a 34-yard pass reception.
Tamme also has been very active in community service. He has been the team?s outreach chairman for three years and was named to the National Good Works Team in 2006.
This is the third major academic honor for Tamme this year. In addition he was:
Chosen as a National Scholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, winning an $18,000 scholarship for continued post-graduate study Elected first-team Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America
Former Wildcat offensive lineman Hayden Lane received the accolade for the 2006 season. Lane completed a master?s degree in History and his bachelor?s degree with a double major in Anthropology and Classics while at UK. He is now at Greater Atlanta Christian School, where he teaches Latin and Ancient History classes while also coaching football and track. In addition, he has co-authored a book, ?Restored Christianity,? since departing UK a year ago.
