Contact: Kayle King Augusta Sports Council 706.722.8326 x239 [email protected]

EMBARGOED: Augusta Sports Council Announces 2015 Award Preseason Watch List presented annually to the nation’s best collegiate

EMBARGOED UNTIL 10 A.M. ET, THURSDAY JULY 9, 2015

Augusta, GA (July 9, 2015) - The Augusta Sports Council has announced the preseason watch list for the 2015 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter.

The 25 candidates on the list incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) punters. (Utah), winner of the 2014 Ray Guy Award, returns to the list along with finalists, Austin Rehkow (Idaho) and JK Scott (Alabama). Returning semifinalists include Cameron Johnston (Ohio State), Drew Kaser (Texas A&M), Alex Kinal (Wake Forest), and Drew Riggleman (Arizona).

The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens for nominations in September. The complete list of candidates will be released on October 30. In early November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semi-finalists, who will be announced on November 13. 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, to be announced on November 23. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter. The winner will be announced live during The Home Depot Awards airing on ESPN on Thursday, December 10, 2015.

2015 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List • Devon Bell (Sr.), Mississippi State • Mattias Ciabatti (Sr.), South Florida • Korey Durkee (Sr.), Washington • Luke Ferguson (Sr.), Arkansas State • Will Gleeson (So.), Ole Miss • Tyler Grassman (Sr.), Buffalo • Tom Hackett (Sr.), Utah • Hayden Hunt (Jr.), Colorado State • Cameron Johnston (Jr.), Ohio State • Drew Kaser (Sr.), Texas A&M • Jamie Keehn (Sr.), LSU • Alex Kinal (Sr.), Wake Forest • Anthony Melchiori (Sr.), Kent State • Will Monday (Sr.), Duke • Peter Mortell (Sr.), Minnesota • Dalton Parks (Jr.), Tulsa • Austin Rehkow (Jr.), Idaho • Drew Riggleman (Sr.), Arizona • Dalton Schomp (Jr.), FAU • J Schroeder (Sr.), Western Michigan • JK Scott (So.), Alabama • Taylor Symmank (Sr.), Texas Tech • Alex Tardieu (Sr.), Army • Justin Vogel (Jr.), Miami • Logan Yunker (Sr.), UNLV

Ray Guy Award The Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award in 2000 to honor Thomson, Georgia native and College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Ray Guy. The Ray Guy Award winner is determined by a national voting body of sports writers, college coaches, sports information directors, and past Ray Guy Award winners. Among the statistics used to identify the winner is net punting average, number of times a punt is downed or kicked out of bounds inside the opponents 20-yard line, total yardage punted, 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.

Augusta Sports Council The Augusta Sports Council (ASC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to marketing the Augusta area as a destination for amateur sporting events. The ASC attracts, creates and supports dozens of sporting events and activities each year, generating a positive economic impact and enhancing the quality of life for residents of the greater Augusta community. To learn more, visit AugustaSportsCouncil.org.

National College Football Awards Association The Ray Guy Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast over 700 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.

Beginning in 2015, The Home Depot College Football Awards will have a new home at the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta. Airing live on ESPN on December 10, 2015, college football’s brightest stars will be honored for their performance on and off the field.

The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Sixteen of the association’s 22 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the complete 2015 preseason watch list calendar:

Tues., July 7: Bednarik Award / Wed., July 8: Mackey Award / Thurs., July 9: / Ray Guy Award Fri., July 10: / Mon., July 13: Tues., July 14: / Rotary Wed., July 15: Biletnikoff Award / Thurs., July 16: Davey O’Brien Award / Award Fri., July 17: Award

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