WACO, Texas – University of Notre Dame junior wide receiver Golden Tate has been named to the 2009 AFCA Coaches’ All-America Team announced Thursday by the American Football Coaches Association.

Tate becomes the 49th Notre Dame player and the 56th selection to the AFCA All-America Team. Only Oklahoma has had more players named (52) and more players represented (60 selections) on the AFCA All-America Team.

Tate is the first Notre Dame player tabbed for this team since cornerback Shane Walton in 2002 and the first offensive player selected since offensive tackle Aaron Taylor in 1993.

The 5-11, 195-pounder from Hendersonville, Tenn., rewrote the Irish receiving record book in 2009 as he tied or broke six school records.

Tate set single-season records with 93 receptions for 1,496 yards and tied the school record with 15 receiving touchdowns. He broke the career receiving yards record with 2,707 yards and set the school record for most 100-yard receiving games in a season (nine) and in a career (15).

A finalist this year for the Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to college football’s top wide receiver, Tate ranked in the top eight nationally in nine receiving categories. He tied for first in total touchdowns (18), scoring (108) and scoring per game (9.0 points), ranked second in receiving touchdowns and was fourth in total receiving yards and receiving yards per game (124.67). Tate ranked sixth in total receptions, seventh receptions per game (7.75) and eighth in yards per catch (16.09).

Tate added 186 rushing yards on 25 carries with two rushing TDs and also scored on an 87-yard punt return at Pittsburgh. He scored at least one TD in each of the final 11 games and no player had more 100-yard receiving games this year than Tate.

2009 AFCA Coaches’
All-America Team
Offense
WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame; WR Mardy Gilyard, Cincinnati; TE Dennis Pitta, BYU; OL Mike Johnson, Alabama; OL Russell Okung, Oklahoma State; C Chris Hall, Texas; OL Trent Williams, Oklahoma; OL Mike Iupati, Idaho; QB Colt McCoy, Texas; RB Mark Ingram, Alabama; RB Toby Gerhart, Stanford

Defense
DL Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska; DL Jerry Hughes, TCU; DL Jared Odrick, Penn State; DL Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech; DL Brian Price, UCLA; LB Rolando McClain, Alabama; LB Greg Jones, Michigan State; DB Eric Berry, Tennessee; DB Joe Haden, Florida; DB Javier Arenas, Alabama; DB Earl Thomas, Texas

Special Teams
P Drew Butler, Georgia; PK Kai Forbath, UCLA; AP C.J. Spiller, Clemson