Rodriguez Named to Ray Guy Watch List
AUGUSTA, Ga. — For a third year in a row, Aaron Rodriguez, who has a chance to break several UNM career punting records this season, has been named to the Ray Guy Preseason Watch List. He is one of 34 names on the list for the 2024 Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate punter in the FBS and is sponsored by the Augusta Sports Council.
Rodriguez is one of five Mountain West punters on the 2024 watch list, which was compiled based on the 2023 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist List, the top ten NCAA Punters from 2023, the 2023 All-Conference teams, the 2023 All-American Teams, the 2024 pre-season All-Conference Teams, and eligible punters on the 2023 watchlist.
Last year Rodriguez averaged 42.4 yards per punt in his senior season. He had 17 punts inside the 20 with just one touchback on the season. In each of his first two seasons he led the nation in total punts and he is nearing school records for total yards and total punts, and he is third in career average. Now in nursing school, he is using his super senior season due to the 2020 COVID year.
The number of eligible candidates for this season will grow when the award opens nominations on August 3. The complete list of candidates will be released on November 6. In mid-November, the Ray Guy Award committee will meet to select the ten semifinalists, who will be announced on November 15. A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives, and previous Ray Guy Award winners will then vote for the top three finalists to be announced on November 26. 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 College Football Awards airing on ESPN in December 2024.
2024 Preseason Watchlist
Aaron Rodriguez, New Mexico
Alec Bevelhimer, Miami (OH)
Alex Mastromanno, Florida State
Brett Thorson, Georgia
Brian Buschini, Nebraska
Daniel Sparks, Virginia
Daton Montiel, FIU
Eddie Czaplicki, USC
Ivan Mora, Wake Forest
Jack Bouwmeester, Utah
Jack Browning, San Diego State
Jack Dawson, Jax State
James Burnip, Alabama
James Evans, Indiana
James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State
Jesse Mirco, Vanderbilt
Kai Kroeger, South Carolina
Lachlan Wilson, California
Lucas Borrow, Ball State
Luke Elzinga, Oklahoma
Mark Vassett, Colorado
Marshall Nichols, UNLV
Mason Fletcher, Cincinnati
Mitchell Tomasek, Eastern Michigan
Nick Haberer, Washington State
Oliver Straw, West Virginia
Oscar Chapman, Auburn
Peter Moore, Virginia Tech
Riley Riethman, Navy
Riley Thompson, Penn State
Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
Ryan Hanson, James Madison
Stephen Kotsanlee, Utah State
Tyler Perkins, Iowa State
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