Courtesy of the Greater Augusta Sports Council
AUGUSTA, Ga. - The Greater Augusta Sports Council announced today the watch list for the 2009 Ray Guy Award, which identifies the nation’s top collegiate punter. The pre-season list is comprised of a select group of punters who stood out during the 2008 season, including five returning Ray Guy semi-finalists. The number of eligible candidates will grow when the award opens for nominations in mid-August. A complete list of candidates will be released in late-October.
The watch list will be narrowed to ten semi-finalists in mid-November. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, coaches, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists, and ultimately the winner. The winner will be announced live during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show airing on ESPN December 10.
2009 Ray Guy Award Watch List – Pre-season
Bryan Anger, California, Sophomore: 2008 Ray Guy Award semi-finalist
Ben Armer, Western Michigan, Sophomore
Travis Baltz, Maryland, Junior
Matt Dodge, East Carolina, Senior
Ryan Donahue, Iowa, Junior: 2008 Ray Guy Award semi-finalist
Derek Epperson, Baylor, Junior: 2008 Ray Guy Award semi-finalist
Chas Henry, Florida, Junior: 2008 Ray Guy Award semi-finalist
Zoltan Mesko, Michigan, Senior: 2008 Ray Guy Award semi-finalist
Ross Thevenot, Tulane, Senior
About the Ray Guy Award
The Greater Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia-native and College Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy. The Ray Guy Award winner is determined by a national selection committee of FWAA sports writers, college coaches, sports information directors, and past Ray Guy Award winners. Among the statistics used to identify the winner are total yardage punted, number of times a punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, net average, average returned yardage, and percentage of punts not returned. The winner must display team leadership, self-discipline, and have a positive impact on the team’s success.
About the National College Football Awards Association
The Ray Guy Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of college football’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information visit the association’s official website NCFAA.org
About the Greater Augusta Sports Council
The Greater Augusta Sports Council (GASC) is a 501-c-3 not-for-profit organization established in 1992 to market the Augusta-area as a major amateur sports destination. Annually, the organization attracts, supports, and creates numerous competitions and activities, at all levels of participation.