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Taylor 2nd-team All-American

Photo

Photo by AP Photo/Matt York

Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor, left, drives to the basket against Kansas State's Jacob Pullen during a Southeast Regional NCAA college basketball tournament third round game Saturday, March 19, 2011, in Tucson, Ariz.

MADISON — Wisconsin junior guard Jordan Taylor was named a second-team All-American, while senior forward Jon Leuer earned honorable mention, the Associated Press announced Monday.

Taylor is the fourth Wisconsin player to earn first- or second-team All-America honors since the AP began selecting All-Americans in 1948.

“This is quite an honor to be voted as one of the top players in the country,” Taylor said. “I’m humbled by the recognition, but like all individual awards, this is a reflection of the entire team. My coaches and teammates always put me in a position to be successful and I am grateful to all of them.”

Taylor joins Alando Tucker (a first-team selection in 2007), Don Rehfeldt (first team in 1950) and Devin Harris (second team in 2004) as the only Badgers to earn first- or second-team All-America honors.

The AP first team was comprised of BYU senior Jimmer Fredette, Purdue senior JaJuan Johnson Duke senior Nolan Smith, Ohio State freshman Jared Sullinger, and Connecticut junior Kemba Walker. Taylor was joined on the AP second team by Kansas’ Marcus Morris, Arizona’s Derrick Williams, Notre Dame’s Ben Hansbrough, and San Diego State’s Kawhi Leonard.

“I’m proud of Jordan and Jon, as well as the University of Wisconsin, for this recognition,” UW coach Bo Ryan said. “To have two guys from the same team earn this kind of honor is pretty special. Both players had tremendous seasons and were major contributors to a team that went from unranked to top 10 and won 25 games.

“Jon lived up to his preseason billing as one of the top players, and Jordan Taylor played his way into that same discussion among the nation’s best.”

Taylor averaged 18.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in leading the Badgers to 25 victories, the third-highest single-season total in school history. A consensus first-team All-Big Ten pick and Cousy Award finalist, Taylor led the nation with a 3.83 assist-to-turnover ratio.

A fellow first-team All-Big Ten selection, Leuer led the Badgers with 18.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season. With 1,376 career points, Leuer finished 12th in school history, while his 621 points in 2010-11 ranked as the third-highest single-season total in UW history.